John Kelly Leaves DHS As A Man Loathed By Immigration Advocates, But Now He Has Trump’s Ear

What started out as an homeland security appointment with promise, they said, turned out to be a soldier in step with the hardline agenda put forth by President Trump.

“People who knew him said he’s an adult who will stand up to Trump, he’s not a white nationalist, he’s a balanced guy who can impose some order,” said Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice Education Fund. “But all we’ve seen him do is be a good foot soldier for mass deportation.”

In fact, prior to announcing that Kelly would be replacing Reince Priebus as White House chief of staff, Trump praised the retired general for his role in confronting illegal immigration and overseeing a rise in the number of arrests and deportations.

But Kelly’s exit isn’t necessarily bringing a sense of hope for immigrant advocates, who expect Trump to keep the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) firmly in line with the strong anti-immigration platform that helped propelled his campaign.

“Regardless of who leads DHS next, Trump is using taxpayers’ money to build a deportation machine that is out of control,” said Sameera Hafiz, policy director of We Belong Together, an immigration advocacy arm of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. “ICE agents, under Trump’s guidance, have become the judge, jury and executioner. Our country’s families deserve better, and they deserve to be together.”

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an agency under the DHS, has seen a marked increase of undocumented immigrants. In the 100 days since Trump signed an executive order on immigration, the administration has boasted of the arrest of more than 41,000 immigrants suspected of living illegally in the United States. About 75% of those arrested during the 100-day period are convicted criminals, federal officials said.

Hafiz told BuzzFeed News her organization has heard countless stories of mothers being detained by ICE, domestic violence and human trafficking survivors thrown in jail while seeking protection from the courts, and immigrant youth who have been in the country since they were toddlers being deported to countries where they have no connections.

“This has been all under Kelly’s leadership, and his comments and actions have shown he does not care about keeping families and communities together,” Hafiz said. “No doubt Trump made him his chief of staff given this track record of tearing families apart.”