Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s acting director was reportedly so stressed from implementing Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts that he had to be hospitalized at least twice in recent months.
White House adviser Stephen Miller, an architect of the president’s anti-immigration agenda, allegedly contributed to the pressure with frequent and “aggressive” calls, according to Politico, citing several current and former officials.
The White House called Politico’s reporting “inaccurate trash” and Lyons an “American patriot.”
“Despite multiple on record denials and sources refuting their pathetic ‘reporting’ and still ran with this absurd article,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson wrote Friday.
But the reporting offers an intimate glimpse into the infighting and bureaucratic machine fueling Trump’s immigration enforcement actions, and how Miller has emerged as a key enforcer who is repeatedly singled out and blamed for the fallout.
Lyons allegedly broke out in sweat and his face turned deep red during several episodes, and became “visibly upset and struggling to make the decisions” according to Politico, citing one former official.
“Since the beginning of this administration, I have worked night and day, all day, every day to undo the harms Joe Biden has caused to the American people,” Lyons told Politico in response to the allegations. “Any stress is in no way related to pressure from the White House, and nothing will get in the way of me doing my job.”
Lyons reportedly told NewsNation that his hospitalizations were for “military deployment VA issues.”
Politico reports Lyons was admitted to hospitals at least twice, in September and December, and alleges that his detail brought along a portable defibrillator while Lyons was riding with top administration officials during a Los Angeles visit in the event that he required medical assistance.
Lyons did not respond to Politico’s questions about the hospitalizations.
The White House allegedly arranged calls with Politico to dispute claims that Miller frequently yells at Lyons, who is reportedly forced to apologize each time, and insisted that Miller is merely “passionate” and asks “very pointed questions in a very assertive tone,” according to Politico.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, also insists that Lyons maintains a great working relationship with Miller and the White House.
The Independent has requested comment from Miller.
Miller, who championed Trump’s draconian immigration policies in his first term, returned to the White House last year as a deputy chief of staff for policy making key decisions on immigration and Homeland Security issues.
Months into Trump’s second term, the 40-year-old far-right adviser allegedly instructed officials to carry out mass arrests and make at least 3,000 a day to keep pace with Trump’s ambitions for 1 million people removed from the country each year. He then referenced the “3,000 arrests” directive on Fox News.
Miller has also long advocated for ending birthright citizenship, a challenge that is now up for the Supreme Court to decide, and he floated the idea that the Trump administration could suspend the fundamental right of habeas corpus to accelerate deportations without a hearing.
Tensions and infighting among immigration officials and the White House bubbled to the surface during the administration’s surges of federal agents into Democratic-led cities, with Border Patrol official Greg Bovino assuming the role of “commander at large” under the direction of now-former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and her deputy Corey Lewandowski.
According to emails obtained by NBC News, Lyons told Bovino to focus on “targeted operations” in Chicago and arrest only people already on federal law enforcement’s radar for immigration violations and other laws.
But Bovino said he “declined” the directive and said he reports only to Lewandowski.
“Mr. Lyons seemed intent that [Customs and Border Protection] conduct targeted operations for at least two weeks before transitioning to full scale immigration enforcement,” Bovino wrote in an email to Homeland Security officials in September. “I declined his suggestion. We ended the conversation shortly thereafter.”
Noem and the White House allegedly berated Lyons over constant footage of Border Patrol agents facing off against protesters in Minneapolis and ordered Lyons to draw up a plan for more targeted arrests, which Lyons has been advocating for, The Wall Street Journal reported.
In the immediate aftermath of the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, Miller and Noem baselessly accused the protesters of committing acts of domestic terrorism.
Miller later said his description was based on reports from CBP agents “on the ground” and suggested that the officers who shot Pretti “may not have been following” protocol.
In sworn testimony to the Senate Homeland Security Committee last month, Lyons and CBP commissioner Rodney Scott said those “domestic terrorism” descriptions never came from them or any of their staff.
“I can’t speculate on what someone else would say or why, sir,” Lyons said.
