Zero Tolerance

The Snake

Donald Trump used the analogy of "The Snake" to address the issue of immigration during his rallies.
The poem narrates a story of a tender-hearted woman who takes in a half-frozen snake.
After the woman cares for the snake, it bites her, and when questioned why, the snake responds, "You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in."
This analogy was used to redefine the debate on immigration during the 2016 political year and continues to influence the country's politics.
The narrative suggests that Trump's approach to immigration tapped into deep-seated resentments and played a significant role in his presidency.

Zero Tolerance

Zero tolerance refers to a harsh new approach to immigration.

Republican Establishment's Soul-Searching

In 2012, after Mitt Romney's loss, the Republican establishment started soul-searching.

Breitbart Embassy

Breitbart, a provocative hard-right website, operated from a rented townhouse referred to as the "Breitbart embassy."
Steve Bannon, a political figure, filmmaker, and polemicist, led Breitbart.
Bannon believed they were in a foreign capital owned and run by the permanent political class.

Smash-Mouth Coverage

Bannon pushed Breitbart into "smash-mouth coverage" of Washington power politics.
The strategy involved attacking the Republican establishment, including House leadership, Mitch McConnells, donors, and the Paul Ryan philosophy.

Immigration as a Wedge Issue

Bannon and Breitbart identified immigration as a wedge issue to undermine the Republican establishment.
Breitbart's message boards highlighted the public's sentiment towards immigration.
Examples of messages included claims of "illegals kill 12-plus people a day," descriptions of immigrants as "torturous, murderous, rapists," and calls to "deport all of the illegal aliens."
Immigration was considered the number-one issue for Republican voters, even more so than tax cuts.

Republican Establishment's Stance on Immigration

The Republican establishment was moving towards immigration reform, forming alliances with Democrats.
Marco Rubio took the lead as the face of bipartisan immigration reform.
There was a perceived political opening as Republicans were ready to engage in the conversation.
Even Fox News showed support for a softer immigration approach, with Sean Hannity acknowledging the need to rethink his hard line on immigration.
Hannity suggested creating a pathway for those already in the country and invited Donald Trump, a reality TV star, onto his show.

War Council at the Breitbart Embassy

Bannon invited Stephen Miller and Jeff Sessions to the Breitbart embassy for a war council.
They discussed politicizing immigration and focusing on workers, aiming to remake the Republican Party.
Miller was tasked with handling the details of their plan, known as Fortress America.
Miller is described as a restrictionist who wants to restrict both legal and illegal immigration.

Blocking Immigration Reform

To realize their plan, they aimed to stop immigration reform and dismantle the G.O.P. establishment.
The Senate passed sweeping immigration reform, sending the bill to the House.
Miller understood how Washington worked and how to push an anti-establishment agenda.

Breitbart's Role

Miller used Bannon's Breitbart as an outlet to disseminate their message.
Breitbart published articles such as "Sessions: Immigration Bill Will ‘Hammer’ Americans" and "Sessions Comes Out Swinging Against Secretive House Immigration Push."
The strategy was to flood the zone with their message, especially on immigration, where organized interest groups were on the opposing side.

Targeting Eric Cantor

The insurgents sought to find an example to take down within the Republican establishment.
They identified Eric Cantor, the House majority leader, as the most vulnerable target.
Cantor was being challenged in his primary by Dave Brat, an unknown college professor.

Breitbart's Support for Brat

Bannon recognized an opportunity and Breitbart strongly supported Brat.
Brat used immigration as a key issue against Cantor, accusing him of supporting amnesty.
Breitbart set the agenda for right-wing radio, with talking points coming from Stephen Miller.
Conservative radio hosts began relying on Breitbart for content instead of the Drudge Report.
The insurgents brought in Jeff Sessions and Laura Ingraham to support Brat.

Cantor's Defeat

Cantor was defeated in a historic upset.
This was the first time a sitting majority leader had ever been beaten in a primary.
The victory sent a message to Republicans that immigration was a potent issue.
The bipartisan immigration bill was effectively dead.

Finding a Presidential Candidate

Bannon had been searching for a candidate for years, initially hoping Sarah Palin would run.
He also considered Lou Dobbs and even Jeff Sessions, but Sessions declined, stating, "Our guy will come along."
Donald Trump emerged as that candidate.

Trump and Immigration

Donald Trump recognized the power of immigration as an issue after Cantor's defeat.
Sam Nunberg, a Trump advisor, devised a mnemonic device to keep Trump focused on immigration, suggesting he promise to "build a wall and make Mexico pay for it."
Trump tested the line at rallies, and it resonated strongly with the crowds.

Trump's Announcement

Trump made his announcement, emphasizing the problems brought by immigrants from Mexico.
He stated, "They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists, and some, I assume, are good people."
Despite the controversy, Trump did not retract his statements, solidifying his stance on immigration.

Bannon's Endorsement of Trump

Bannon identified Trump as "our guy," an "armor-piercing shell" who would go through the establishment "like a scythe through grass."
The insurgents threw their support behind Trump, with Bannon pushing the message from Breitbart.
Jeff Sessions provided an essential endorsement from a sitting United States senator.
Stephen Miller also played a key role, riling up the crowd at Trump rallies and shaping his speeches.

Insurgents in Power

After Trump's victory, Steve Bannon became Trump's chief strategist, Stephen Miller was made senior advisor, and Jeff Sessions became attorney general.
Bannon created an immigration action plan, aiming to flood the zone with daily actions.
Miller's tactic was to "hit them big, hit them hard" with harsh executive orders.

The Travel Ban

Trump implemented a "travel ban," blocking entry from seven predominantly Muslim countries, leading to widespread outrage and protests.
Republican Congressman Charlie Dent learned that Stephen Miller was the key figure behind the ban.

Factions within the White House

Two main factions emerged within the White House: the Bannon/Miller/Sessions faction and the more establishment camp including Gary Cohn, Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, and Reince Priebus.

Sessions and Immigration

Jeff Sessions, as Attorney General, systematically retooled the asylum system.
He targeted sanctuary cities and initiated the beginnings of the zero-tolerance policy.
Sessions and his staff worked to ensure there were no impediments to mass deportation.

Sessions' Recusal

The Russia investigation led to Sessions' recusal, angering President Trump and straining their relationship.
Despite pressure, Sessions refused to resign, vowing to continue the fight.

DACA and the Dreamers

Sessions worked to roll back DACA, an Obama-era policy protecting undocumented immigrants who came to America as children.
Miller and Bannon needed Trump to agree to end DACA but Trump expressed sympathy for the "Dreamers".

Ending DACA

Bannon reached out to Kris Kobach to pressure Trump on DACA.
Kobach organized ten conservative state attorneys general to threaten legal action if DACA wasn't stopped.
The letter worked, and Trump relented, with Sessions announcing the end of DACA.

The Impact of Ending DACA

The decision led to widespread protests and negative coverage for the president who then seemed to back off.
Steve Bannon was forced out of the White House.

Trump's Improvised Deal-Making

With the insurgents weakened, Trump improvised inviting congressional leaders to make a deal that could protect the Dreamers.
Trump said he would sign any agreement they came to sign.
To immigration hardliners, it was a reminder that the president could not be trusted.

The Shithole Countries Comment

Senators Durbin and Graham crafted a deal to save DACA.
However, Miller ensured it was stocked with people who would express a contrary opinion.
In a profanity-filled exchange, Trump questions why the U.S. should invite people from "shithole countries," leading to widespread condemnation and shock.

Family Separation

In 2018, Sessions and Miller implemented a "zero tolerance" policy at the border.
Everyone who crosses the border would be prosecuted; even families with children. This led to family separation.
The policy turned into a public relations crisis as images of children being separated from their parents were released.

Trump Capitulates

Amid growing outrage, Trump capitulated and signed an executive order to keep families together.
A few months later, Jeff Sessions resigned.

Stephen Miller's Influence

Stephen Miller remained in the White House and was made responsible for implementing immigration policy.

The Caravan

They called them an "invasion."
With the caravan of immigrants they attempted to influence the midterm elections and reignite the 2020 reelection campaign. In doing so Miller encouraged to anger Trump.

Midterms and Reelection

The president used the issue to drum up support for the midterms, calling it the "election of the caravan."
Stephen Miller is the point person at the president's side on the immigration issue.

Continuing Policies

Miller initiated raids across the country.

Conclusion

For Sessions, Bannon, and Miller, it was all part of the grand design.