Image by Getty Images Stephen Miller

Leading up to the midterm elections, President Trump ramped up his campaign against immigration with a push from Stephen Miller, his chief policy adviser on the issue, the New York Times reported.

Remembering how stoking fears of immigration helped his 2016 presidential run, Trump looked to Miller these last two weeks for tactics in hopes of ensuring Republicans take control of Congress.

The strategies included fixating on the caravan of migrants traveling from Mexico to the United States seeking refuge from violence and poverty and suggesting “birthright citizenship” be a thing of the past.

The Jewish aide has been working to strengthen the U.S.’s immigration policies, despite his own family history. He pressed to cut the refugee program even lower, allowing 25,000 to enter the country rather than the initial agreed-upon ceiling of 45,000, Politico reported.

Miller was the face of last year’s controversial travel ban and staunchly supported the zero-tolerance policies enacted last summer, claiming it was a “simple decision” to separate families at the border.

Alyssa Fisher is a news writer at the Forward. Email her at fisher@forward.com, or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher