Today, in the wake of the Trump administration unveiling it’s new agenda on legal immigration restrictions, White House advisor Stephen Miller took the podium in the press room to deliver remarks and take questions from the national press. It was the first time since February that Miller has been on national TV to discuss major policy. What happened was a lesson in why temperament is an important factor in who handles press conferences. (See select video linked above)
Calling the immigration proposals “compassionate,” and a “positive, optimistic” effort to protect American jobs, Miller laid out the principles of their plan: green card applicants would be evaluated on a points system factoring in their education, skill level, their need in American industries, their income level and whether they had an assured place of work when they arrived. After about 10 minutes of taking (and avoiding direct) questions, he began to wrap up.
Taking one last question, Miller called on CNN’s Jim Acosta, who challenged the premise of the administration’s requirement that immigrants be of a certain income and skills level, and speak English.