Stephen Miller wanted to keep the planes in the air—and that is where they stayed, The Wall Street Journal reported.

When a federal judge in March ordered the Trump administration to return deported migrants to El Salvador, senior officials scrambled during a Saturday call. Some feared defying the court. But Miller, President Trump’s deputy chief of staff, pushed for the planes to continue flying. The judge later warned that ignoring court rulings would make a “solemn mockery” of the Constitution.

Miller, 39, has become one of the most powerful White House staffers in recent history. He has his own staff of about 30, a Secret Service detail, and influence over policy from immigration to tariffs. He has written or edited every executive order Trump has signed in his second term and even oversees some cabinet-level officials.

Miller once proposed using the Alien Enemies Act to deport migrants and considered suspending habeas corpus. He coordinated federal protest crackdowns and directed agencies during immigration surges. Some staffers say his ideas are legally risky and overly aggressive.

Still, Trump defends him. “We have a great understanding,” the president said.

Miller’s supporters argue his hard-line agenda has sharply reduced illegal crossings.

Read more at The Wall Street Journal.