STEPHEN MILLER DOESN'T LET A CRISIS GO TO WASTE

I'm sure you can see Stephen Miller's hand in this:

President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested that state and local bailout money from the federal government could hinge on whether the immigration policies of the individual governments seeking relief align with Trump administration priorities....

“... We’d have to talk about things like sanctuary cities, as an example. I think sanctuary cities is something that has to be brought up where people who are criminals are protected, they are protected from prosecution.”

He continued: “I think that has to be done. I think it’s one of the problems that the states have. I don’t even think they know they have a problem, but they have a big problem with the sanctuary situation.”

But I also see Miller's hand in this:

President Trump is expected to sign an executive order Tuesday mandating that meat production plants remain open to head off a food supply shortage, according to one person familiar with the coming action, despite mounting reports of plant worker deaths due to covid-19.

Trump will invoke the Defense Production Act under the order, which will classify the meat plants as essential infrastructure that must remain open, said the person, who was not authorized to disclose details of the order. The government will provide additional protective gear for employees as well as guidance, according to the person. Trump is expected to sign the order, first reported by Bloomberg, as early as today....

The government order would keep meat companies from using the most effective weapon available to protect their employees — closures.

At least 20 meatpacking plants have closed in recent weeks because of coronavirus outbreaks, according to an analysis by The Washington Post. The United Food and Commercial Workers, which represents thousands of workers in meat plants across the country, said Tuesday at least 17 workers in the industry have died of covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and at least 5,000 have been directly affected by the virus.

Remember what the meat industry's labor force looks like. The Guardian's Mike Elk told us in 2018:

Meatpacking is dangerous, fast-moving work that relies on undocumented workers. Census data indicates that one-third of meatpacking jobs are done by immigrants, although that percentage is probably much higher due to underreporting, especially in the current environment of low unemployment where employers are scrambling to find workers.

Trump thinks this sells to his base, and he obviously doesn't want to be a president presiding over food shortages in an election year -- but Miller knows that the result of this policy, assuming it isn't reversed or neutered by companies or unions, will be the deaths of more immigrants. The prospect of that makes Stephen Miller happy.

If this does happen, you know that protective equipment will never be provided, or will be provided spottily at best. People will die if this policy is carried out -- and that will be the policy working as intended.