Jared Kushner is trying to get the media to paint him as good-cop to Stephen Miller's bad-cop on immigration — here's why that's bogus

Stephen Miller is the white nationalist troll in Donald Trump’s ear, steering immigration policy in ever-more-evil directions. But presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner apparently wants it known that he, too, has influence, and while Kushner’s ability to place puff pieces about how he’s going to save us all through sharp deal-making and being the voice of reason appears to be waning, he’s still able to get the Washington Post to portray him as the good cop to Miller’s bad cop. In those words.

Kushner is supposedly pushing for a bipartisan immigration deal, while Miller is definitely pushing to restrict legal immigration, restrict asylum, and separate families at the border. So … it’s pretty clear who’s winning here. But! Despite those different goals, “White House officials say the two have maintained a friendly working relationship, focused on divergent but complementary imperatives.” Jared and Ivanka have Miller to their house for dinner. Miller isn’t trying to undermine Jared’s role in the administration. It’s all very cozy—as long as Jared doesn’t actually care that he keeps losing on the substance of immigration policy.

Luckily, all the evidence suggests that Jared doesn’t care about the substance of anything except his own reputation. As long as he’s getting face time with important people because they believe he has his father-in-law’s ear and might be a voice of reason, he seems happy to not get anything done about the policies he’s constantly taking meetings on. It’s good news for (relative) peace in the White House, but immigrants and asylum-seekers are still stuck in Stephen Miller’s America.