The Note: The Trump administration's new immigration rules

Trump’s first 100 days with ABC’s RICK KLEIN and SHUSHANNAH WALSHE

 

Day No. 34

 

The big story: “We’re going to bring this country together,” President Trump declared Tuesday, just hours before fresh immigration guidance was issued that stokes fears of tearing families apart. “We have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms,” the president also said, hours before a senior adviser confirmed that the new travel ban will mean that “those basic policies are still going to be in effect” as were ordered under the old one – impacting the same seven predominantly Muslim countries. The words aren’t matching the deeds in a White House that has already established that its words matter less than ever, due to the ease with which it has used those words to mislead and deflect. There is one truth that does come out virtually every time the president speaks: his belief that his election victory delivered a unifying mandate. When he boasts of the states he won and the Electoral College victory he amassed, the president is making clear that his idea of coming together is coming together behind his leadership and ideas. 

 

The sleeper story: It was a quiet first day meeting the staff for the new EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt. “This is a beginning,” he said, only hinting at the massive policy changes he’ll be asking his concerned workforce to begin enacting. Pruitt’s nomination and confirmation were hardly ignored, but they were overshadowed by higher-profile fights and bigger names asked to join the Trump Cabinet. But there may be no official with a broader policy portfolio than Pruitt, whose previous best-known interactions with the EPA were his lawsuits. Pruitt’s initial address to workers did not mention environmental degradation or climate change; instead, he focused on making it easier for companies to comply with regulations. With emails between him and energy-industry officials set for release Wednesday, we’ll learn more about what those kinds of relationships have looked like in the past for Pruitt.

 

The shiny story: President Trump’s latest Twitter attack targeted “liberal activists,” whom, he Tweeted, have “planned out” the “so-called angry crowds in home districts of some Republicans.” Trump v. liberal groups is the fight the White House wants, as part of efforts to keep the conservative base engaged and energized, and congressional allies on the president’s side. Members of Congress vs. their own constituents is the fight the president is trying to avoid. But the latter is the real story. Yes, the signs and the events are planned in advance. Organizers organize things. But how many members of Congress are prepared to ignore what they hear and see on the word of the president that it’s essentially fake? For senators and House members, sharp questioning in their districts is just a piece of data. It does, however, add up.

 

TLDR: The Trump administration released new guidance yesterday outlining a sweeping plan to deport certain undocumented immigrants, striking even more fear in those communities, while a senior aide said on Fox News last night that the new travel ban targeting those seven Muslim majority countries will mean "those basic policies are still going to be in effect."

 

Photo of the day: Yesterday afternoon, even Lady Liberty had a message for Donald Trump when a banner reading "Refugees Welcome" was unfurled on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. The National Park Service said affixing a banner is prohibited and it was removed. You can see it before it was taken down here: 

 

 

Notables

 

-- White House says mass deportation not goal of immigration memos despite fears among many: New memos unveiled by the Trump administration Tuesday outline a sweeping plan to detain and deport certain undocumented immigrants as well as add more than 15,000 immigration, border patrol and customs agents, but White House press secretary Sean Spicer said mass deportation is not the goal. One of the memos -- signed by Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly -- says that the agency will "no longer will exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement" with certain exceptions including children, report ABC's JACK DATE and MEGHAN KENEALLY. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/immigration-memos-announce-15000-hires/story?id=45631883

 

--Today at the White House: After his daily intelligence briefing this morning, Donald Trump will meet with Secretary Rex Tillerson, who’s set to travel to Mexico City later today with Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly. Trump discusses the federal budget over lunch and then holds a discussion regarding the budget with senior staff in the Oval Office. Trump ends his day with a legislative affairs strategy session. 

 

Speed Read with ABC's ADAM KELSEY

 

Trump admin ordered to produce list of travelers detained under ban. A federal judge in New York ordered the Trump administration to produce a list of all persons detained as part of the president's executive order that limited travel and immigration from seven countries as well as temporarily shut down the refugee program. Brooklyn federal judge Carol Bagley Amon delivered the order Tuesday, asking for the names of people held for questioning or processed from Jan. 28 at 9:37 pm -- when another Brooklyn judge halted part of the ban that allowed for deportations -- until Jan. 29 at 11:59 pm. ABC's LAUREN PEARLE has more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-admin-ordered-produce-list-travelers-detained-ban/story?id=45646957

 

Trump denounces anti-Semitic threats as 'horrible' after facing criticism. President Donald Trump denounced anti-Semitism Tuesday after facing criticism that he has not come out strongly enough against recent threats directed at U.S. Jewish centers, ABC's VERONICA STRACQUALURSI writes. "The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil," Trump remarked after touring the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-denounces-anti-semitism-stop/story?id=45630789

 

President Trump visits African American history museum. President Donald Trump visited the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture Tuesday, touring various exhibits, including “The Paradox of Liberty” and one profiling Dr. Ben Carson, the nominee for secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, notes ABC's KATHERINE FAULDERS. “Honestly, it’s fantastic,” Donald Trump said of the museum before posing for a photo with Carson, adding that he was “very proud” of Carson. “I’ve learned, and I’ve seen, and they’ve done an incredible job.” http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-visit-african-american-history-museum/story?id=45615041

 

McMaster needs Senate confirmation because he's a 3-star general. The position of national security adviser does not require Senate confirmation, but when three-star generals like Trump's pick for the position, H.R. McMaster, change jobs within the service they do need the approval. The rule has nothing to do with the White House, but rather the military: all three and four-star generals must receive Senate confirmation whenever they seek to change jobs. What does this mean for McMaster? ABC's ALI ROGIN and LUIS MARTINEZ explain: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/mcmaster-senate-confirmation-star-general/story?id=45640246

 

How H.R. McMaster's military rank could affect his role as national security adviser. The naming of Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as President Trump's new national security adviser has raised some questions about how an active duty officer can serve in the job. It has been done before. McMaster will be the fourth active duty military officer to serve as national security adviser. There are some challenges that an Army three star general could face in the role while remaining on active duty. ABC's LUIS MARTINEZ looks at some of the potential issues facing McMaster. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/hr-mcmasters-military-rank-affect-role-national-security/story?id=45629847

 

What we're reading

 

“Yes, it's war: How the media should fight back against Trump," An opinion piece in The Hill by Kurt Bardella. http://bit.ly/2kIyPgi

 

Tim Phillips, Americans for Prosperity president: 'Border adjustment' a 'devastating tax increase," by David Sherfinski: http://bit.ly/2l7zxQn

 

Who's tweeting?

 

@realDonaldTrump: The so-called angry crowds in home districts of some Republicans are actually, in numerous cases, planned out by liberal activists. Sad!

 

@MarkHalperin: NEWS: On @Morning_Joe @GovHowardDean backs the @DNC chair hot/Big Mo candidate, @PeteforDNC

 

@bgittleson: President Trump is tentatively scheduled to meet with Ohio Gov. John Kasich at the White House on Friday, a senior Kasich aide tells @ABC

 

@LizetteNYT: The Town Hall by Rep. Dennis Ross in FL is over. WOW. That was a heated, passionate, angry and determined crowd. Kudos to Ross for doing it.

 

@maryaliceparks: Rep. Dave Brat's town hall a full house but still more ppl outside. Every time he says ACA failing crowd tells him he's wrong

 

@costareports: Look beneath The Post's web masthead. "Democracy dies in darkness." For years, that has been a guiding principle for @realBobWoodward.