“The Trump White House blocked the Justice Department from making a deal in October 2019 to pay for mental health services for migrant families who had been separated by the Trump administration, two current and two former senior administration officials told NBC News. Three sources involved in the discussions who requested anonymity said the Office of White House Counsel made the decision to reject the settlement of a federal lawsuit after consultation with senior adviser Stephen Miller, the driving force behind many of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, including family separations.”
“‘DOJ strongly, and unanimously, supported the settlement, but not all agencies involved were on the same page,’ an administration official said. ‘Ultimately, the settlement was declined at the direction of the White House counsel’s office.’ Another administration official said: ‘Ultimately, it was Stephen who prevailed. He squashed it.’ The White House’s refusal to accept the deal ended up costing taxpayers $6 million” – NBC News.