Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere Kimberly Breier has resigned, citing personal reasons. The move comes after she was criticized by White House policy adviser Stephen Miller for not defending the U.S. asylum agreement with Guatemala.
The Washington Post reported Breier’s resignation Wednesday, writing that Miller had previously chastised her for not putting enough effort in controlling immigration from Mexico and Central America, which her office was in charge of. Breier reportedly opposed the extent to which the White House exerted power over immigration and trade issues.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accepted Breier’s resignation, which, The Post points out, leaves a key position in the office vacant. She is also the latest at the assistant secretary level to leave the administration, with at least three others having stepped down this year alone.
Among those leaving recently are A. Wess Mitchell, the top diplomat in charge of European affairs and Yleem Poblete, assistant secretary for arms control verification and compliance. Earlier this month, Kiron Skinner, who headed the State Department office of policy planning, was forced out of her job.
According to some administration officials, Breier did not necessarily disagree with administration policies in Mexico and the region in general, but the clash with Miller could have been the reason for her decision. He had criticized the Mexico expert in a series of emails, saying she didn’t commit sufficiently to defending the safe third country agreement the U.S. signed with Guatemala last month.
Many in the administration, including Pompeo himself, opposed the agreement on grounds that it violated U.S. asylum law.
The President’s daughter and White House adviser Ivanka Trump on Twitter thanked Breier for her “friendship and great service,” saying she and her husband “will miss working with you” but that “we are happy that Emma will now get to see more of the mom she is so proud of.”
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