Stephen Miller had for years been one of the hardest-line and most loyal ideologues in the political orbit of U.S. President Donald Trump, but at the beginning of 2026 he found himself at the center of public criticism and political pressure.
As the chief architect of Trump’s immigration policy and one of the key figures for homeland security, Miller played a decisive role in shaping an aggressive approach to deportations and in strengthening U.S. power in the Western Hemisphere. For the left he has long been a symbol of repressive policy, but in recent weeks criticism has also come from within Republican ranks, BBC reports.
Posters featuring his image and the message “Fascism is not pretty” have appeared in Washington, Democrats are calling for his resignation, and members of his own party are publicly questioning his political judgment. Miller, who for years operated from the shadows, is now exposed to intense public scrutiny.
The trigger for the latest wave of criticism was a shooting in Minneapolis in which federal immigration agents killed U.S. citizen Alex Pretti. Miller immediately labeled a woman connected to the case a “domestic terrorist” and a “murderer” on social media, even though later footage showed that Pretti did not threaten the agents before they took him down and killed him.
Several days later, Miller was forced to soften his tone, acknowledging that the administration’s initial assessments were based on reports from agents on the ground and that protocol may not have been followed. That rare retreat did not satisfy his critics, who accuse him of encouraging violent responses by ICE and CBP agents in the field.
At the same time, Miller has been aggressively pushing a policy of mass deportations. Last May, he demanded that immigration agents reach a target of 3,000 arrests per day, several times higher than previous levels. The administration subsequently intensified raids in major cities such as Washington, Chicago, and Minneapolis.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, also known as “ICE Barbie,” stated that she did everything “on the orders of the president and Stephen,” confirming Miller’s central role. However, public support for the policy is weakening. According to a Reuters-Ipsos poll, support for Trump’s immigration policy has fallen to 39%, while 58% of respondents believe ICE’s tactics have gone too far.
Nevertheless, Miller remains extremely close to Trump. His official title is Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor, and the White House describes him as an intelligent, hardworking, and loyal operative who ensures the rapid implementation of the president’s decisions.
His influence does not end with domestic policy. Miller participated in planning U.S. military actions against the Houthis in Yemen and reportedly also played a role in operations in the Caribbean that preceded the overthrow of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. In these situations, he often acted as a direct transmitter of Trump’s will to top officials.
Miller’s foreign-policy rhetoric, including statements that the world is ruled by “strength, force, and power” and that no one would oppose the U.S. over Greenland, has caused discomfort even among Republicans. Senator Thom Tillis said Miller should focus on issues he understands or leave office.
Ideologically, Miller is consistent with Trump’s “America First” concept. He and the president view Latin America as a source of drugs and crime, accuse Canada of trade imbalances, and portray the U.S. as the defender of “Western civilization.” This worldview allows the justification of measures that would appear extreme in a different context.
Critics warn that such an approach leads toward ethnonationalism and institutionalized intolerance. The liberal group Common Cause describes Miller as a central figure in a policy that normalizes state violence and white nationalist rhetoric.
Despite everything, Miller’s position is not currently threatened. His long-standing loyalty to Trump—from the 2016 campaign through the 2020 defeat to the return to power—makes him one of the few people believed to remain by the president’s side until the very end.
As Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said: “When the clock strikes midnight on the Trump era, only a few people will walk out the door with Donald Trump. Stephen Miller will be one of them.” Many are also wondering whether he could be a candidate to succeed Trump.
Foto. Wikimedia/Gage Skidmore – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic – CC-BY-SA-2.0
