Trump wants the US to admit no refugees.

In meetings over the past several weeks, one top administration official has proposed zeroing out the program altogether, while leaving the president with the ability to admit refugees in an emergency. Another option that top officials are weighing would cut refugee admissions by half or more, to 10,000 to 15,000 people, but reserve most of those spots for refugees from a few handpicked countries or groups with special status, such as Iraqis and Afghans who work alongside American troops, diplomats and intelligence operatives abroad.

Both options would all but end the United States’ status as one of the leading places accepting refugees from around the world.

The issue is expected to come to a head on Tuesday, when the White House plans to convene a high-level meeting in the Situation Room to discuss at what number Mr. Trump should set the annual, presidentially determined ceiling on refugee admissions for the coming year.

The Guardian comments:

Politico reported back in July that Trump was weighing an effective shutdown of the refugee program, at the urging of an official aligned with senior White House adviser Stephen Miller.

Miller has been the most ardent anti-immigration official in the president’s closest circle of advisers, and his influence is reportedly only rivaled by Jared Kushner’s.

In his two and a half years in the administration, Miller has championed a number of proposals aimed at limiting both legal and illegal immigration.

For example, he was a major proponent of the administration’s proposal, announced last month, to penalize green-card applicants who use public benefits.

Xenophobia rules ok.