By Pedro Alvarez, LeRoy Jenkins, Ja’lele Carter and Eugene “Gene” Thompson
May 5, 2025
When the word “racist” is used in political discourse, especially in recent years, it is often met with defensiveness or accusations of hyperbole. But when it comes to Stephen Miller—Donald Trump’s former senior advisor and chief architect of immigration policy during his first term, and is currently serving Trump’s second term in office as the 12th United States homeland security advisor and White House deputy chief of staff for policy—the evidence is overwhelming, and it comes directly from the record.
Focusing strictly on Trump’s first term, we begin to recognize ground zero of Trump’s fear mongering propaganda being utilized to distract citizens from the dangerous policies that we are now seeing in Trump’s second term. Miller, who served as the key architect behind some of the Trump administration’s most draconian and xenophobic policies—including the family separation policy, the Muslim ban, and efforts to slash legal immigration—was and is more than just a policy adviser. His views on race and immigration were shaped by a far-right, nationalist ideology that sought to dramatically shift America’s demographic composition.
Racist Views Documented in Leaked Emails
The clearest and most disturbing evidence of Miller’s racist ideology comes from over 900 emails he sent to editors at Breitbart News between 2015 and 2016, which were obtained and published by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) in 2019. These emails provide a window into his mindset long before he became a prominent White House figure.
In these emails, Miller consistently espoused views that align with white nationalism. He pushed white supremacist literature such as The Camp of the Saints, a novel by Jean Raspail that depicts an apocalyptic invasion of Europe by nonwhite immigrants, and expressed admiration for the early 20th-century eugenics-based immigration policies that sought to limit immigration from nonwhite countries. He also shared links to websites like VDARE and American Renaissance, both of which are notorious for publishing white nationalist and anti-immigrant content. As one of the emails shows, Miller wrote to Breitbart: “The purpose of the emails was to be a champion for white America.”
Expert Analysis on Miller’s Ideology
The SPLC’s analysis of these emails is damning. Their report states: “The vast majority of the emails Miller sent focused on the obsession with race and crime, and on keeping America white.” Notably, not a single email showed any empathy toward immigrants or people of color. His correspondence reveals an obsessive preoccupation with the racial composition of America and the supposed dangers posed by nonwhite immigration.
Miller’s policies in office were a direct reflection of this ideology. As Greg Sargent, a columnist for The Washington Post, noted in 2019: “Miller has helped turn anti-immigrant hatred into state policy, while advocating for a white nationalist vision of America.” Miller’s role in shaping Trump’s “zero-tolerance” policy—where children were separated from their families at the border—was particularly telling. The policy not only resulted in widespread trauma for thousands of immigrant families but was also seen as a deliberate attempt to deter asylum-seekers from Central America, many of whom are fleeing violence and poverty.
Influence in Shaping U.S. Immigration Policy
Miller was also instrumental in altering the mission statement of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in 2018, removing the phrase “a nation of immigrants” and replacing it with language that emphasized “protecting American workers.” This seemingly small change was a reflection of a much deeper ideological shift. As Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice, told The New York Times in 2018, Miller’s influence on immigration policy was a concerted effort to “re-engineer the legal immigration system” to favor white Europeans while cutting off access for nonwhite immigrants.
Under Miller’s guidance, USCIS also took a more hostile stance toward legal immigration, blocking asylum claims, making it more difficult for refugees to gain access to the U.S., and targeting long-standing immigration programs like DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). These actions were framed as being about “national security” and “protecting American values,” but experts pointed out that they disproportionately affected people of color and non-European immigrants.
A Legacy of Division
It’s no exaggeration to say that Miller’s policies and rhetoric shaped the tone of Trump’s presidency, fostering an environment of racial division and suspicion. As immigration scholar Dr. Jennifer Lee, author of The Diversity Paradox, argues, “Miller’s vision of America is one where diversity is viewed as a threat and where people of color are treated as outsiders, regardless of their legal status or contribution to society.”
Indeed, the lasting impact of Miller’s influence is still being felt today. The rise of white nationalism and the rhetoric of “America First” are direct offshoots of his and Trump’s vision of America. Miller’s legacy has embedded fear and division into the very fabric of U.S. immigration policy, making it harder to have honest discussions about the role of immigration in shaping the nation’s future.
The Importance of Confronting Racism
Miller’s racist views were not isolated incidents or fleeting moments—they were central to his political identity. To ignore this is to misunderstand the true nature of his influence. His actions as an advisor to the president were not simply policy disagreements—they were a deliberate attempt to create a less inclusive, more racially stratified America.
As the world watches, in horror, the trauma being caused by Trump 2.0, we must recognize the hostile policies and punitive Executive Orders that now threaten American citizens that disagree with Trump, as well as those who support him (particularly vulnerable are women, minorities, people of color, economically disadvantaged, and even political adversaries that Trump views as unAmerican).
We should not shy away from confronting the reality of Miller’s racism. This is not about partisan bickering or political theater—it is about recognizing the damage done by an ideology that sees racism as a tool for political gain. Stephen Miller’s words and actions speak for themselves. It is time we truly listen to them and form an opposing action plan to save our nation from bigotry and hate.
Cited Sources:
- Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), “Stephen Miller’s Emails: A White Nationalist Agenda,” Southern Poverty Law Center.
- Greg Sargent, “Stephen Miller and the White Nationalist Policies of the Trump Era,” Washington Post, July 2019.
- Frank Sharry, “The New Mission of USCIS and Stephen Miller’s Immigration Agenda,” The New York Times, 2018.
- Jennifer Lee, The Diversity Paradox, 2020.
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