WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman LaMonica McIver (NJ-10) released the following statement on the implications of Stephen Miller’s promotion to White House Chief of Staff for a renewed immigration crackdown. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conduct and congressional oversight of the agency are central to the case brought against McIver by the Trump administration.
“Stephen Miller is a white supremacist. By promoting the person responsible for ICE detaining our neighbors and killing people in the streets, Donald Trump is doubling down on the cruelty and corruption that have defined his administration," said Rep. McIver. “The president is panicked after losing power in Congress and this is a signal about what he will prioritize in the final stretch of his presidency: grievance and cruelty.”
“Stephen Miller has spent years working to expand ICE’s reach and shield it from scrutiny and accountability. Congresswoman McIver has demanded oversight of this administration and has been criminalized for it,” said Amelia Platt, a spokesperson for McIver. “Miller’s elevation signals a lame duck president’s intent to intensify attacks on immigrants and all who dare to challenge his immigration agenda. Rep. McIver’s case is a stark example of how the Trump administration abuses the powers of the executive branch to target dissent and chill investigations into ICE’s cruelty. If congressional oversight isn’t protected, Rep. McIver will be far from the last person targeted.”
McIver’s case stems from an authorized oversight visit she conducted at Delaney Hall, the controversial detention center in her district, in May of 2025. If found guilty, McIver could face 17 years in federal prison. Her legal team, along with experts on the separation of powers, have warned that the case against her could have a dramatic chilling effect on congressional oversight and serve as a legal framework for the Trump administration to further escalate prosecutions of its political opponents.
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