Donald Trump reportedly called Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to encourage a more disciplined approach to deportations after nationwide protests last month.
In late May, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller told Noem to supercharge immigrant arrests. In an effort to hit Miller’s quota of 3,000 arrests per day ICE agents executed raids on businesses triggering protests in Los Angeles and other cities across the country.
Trump dispatched 4,000 national guard troops and active duty marines to LA to quell the protests, against the wishes of local leaders including Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).
According to Reuters, Trump was worried behind the scenes as polling showed the public opposed these efforts. He reportedly phoned Noem, who was in LA at time, to demand a more “targeted” approach to immigration raids.
“He said: ‘We’re going to do this targeted,'” one of three former U.S. officials with knowledge of the call told the outlet. “Everybody heard it.”
The source said Trump was not aware of the extent of the enforcement push and “once it hit him, he pulled it back.”
ICE paused raids on farms, hotels, restaurants and food processing plants after Trump’s call with Noem. But the was short-lived as the administration walked back the pause hours later.
