Story perspectives

Governor Pritzker Slams Miller's Immigration Policies Amid Protests

10/17/2025

Center

Pritzker Critiques Miller

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker criticized White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller for backing President Trump's immigration policies, saying Miller aims to make Trump authoritarian.
Pritzker's remarks come amid heightened immigration enforcement, including National Guard deployments in Chicago.
Miller is selling his Arlington home after protests accusing his hardline immigration stance of harming democracy.
Activists have chalked messages targeting Miller, prompting his wife to defend their family against intimidation.

Left

Miller's Immigration Overhaul

The Trump administration plans significant changes to the U.S. refugee system, reducing admissions to 7,500 and prioritizing white South Africans and Europeans.
The plan emphasizes assimilation and security vetting, including children’s DNA tests.
Critics call the proposals a nativist agenda that undermines America’s historic role as a refuge.
Activists target Stephen Miller's home, signaling backlash over immigration policies.
Local leaders say refugees positively contribute to communities, countering the administration's narrative.

History

Historical Context

The Immigration Act of 1924, also known as the Johnson-Reed Act, established strict quotas favoring Northern Europeans while barring Asian immigrants, reflecting the era's nativist sentiments. This legislation reduced total immigration to 165,000 annually, an 80% decrease from pre-World War I levels. Today, criticisms of similar exclusionary policies echo the discriminatory practices of the 1920s, threatening the U.S.'s identity as a refuge for diverse populations.

1 of 3

Pritzker Critiques Miller

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker criticized White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller for backing President Trump's immigration policies, saying Miller aims to make Trump authoritarian.
Pritzker's remarks come amid heightened immigration enforcement, including National Guard deployments in Chicago.
Miller is selling his Arlington home after protests accusing his hardline immigration stance of harming democracy.
Activists have chalked messages targeting Miller, prompting his wife to defend their family against intimidation.

1 / 3