Stephen Miller Urged Trump End Student Visas for Chinese Nationals: Report

Stephen Miller—the man behind Donald Trump’s most hardline immigration policies—urged the president to make it impossible for Chinese citizens to study in the U.S., the Financial Times reports. The FT says Miller suggested the draconian move as a way to simultaneously combat Chinese espionage in the U.S. while also punishing elite universities whose staff and students had criticized the president. Trump was persuaded against the move by top officials, including U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad, who said the move would harm small colleges and that spending by Chinese students contributes a lot to the American economy. Some officials, including Peter Navarro, the White House trade adviser, continue to push for a harder stance and insiders believe the president might return to the issue. Neither Branstad or the White House commented on the report.