Stephen Miller brands ICE protesters 'insurrection network' in sinister message

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White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller called anti-ICE protesters in Minnesota an insurrection network and declared it a national security priority

23:01 ET, 15 Jan 2026

An individual in formal attire, consisting of a suit and tie, is addressing a crowd while gesturing with his hands. Microphones are positioned in front of him, and a backdrop featuring lush greenery is visible behind him.View 4 Images

Stephen Miller, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, has labeled ICE protesters in Minnesota as an "insurrection network"(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Stephen Miller, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, has labeled ICE protesters in Minnesota as an "insurrection network" during a recent interview on Thursday.

Miller joined the Charlie Kirk Show via phone to discuss the ongoing anti-ICE demonstrations in Minnesota. These protests were sparked by the tragic shooting of Renee Good last week.

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"In Minnesota right now, the insurrectionists have come out of hiding," Miller declared. "They're confronting our officers on the street. They're being arrested. This is a national security priority." He further stated that more "insurrectionists" are being apprehended daily, each arrest offering "an opportunity to learn more about the network from a law enforcement and national security standpoint."

Article continues belowREAD MORE: Man charged with murder and stalking after human remains found in Somerset villageREAD MORE: Confused girl asks mom question after looking at 'sleeping' Trump in White HouseAn individual stands in front of a line of individuals, possibly law enforcement officers, holding an American flag in a public space.View 4 Images

A protester carries an upside down American flag in front of federal immigration officers(Image: AP)

However, as of this writing, there's no substantiated evidence of an insurrectionist network operating in Minnesota. A segment of the interview went viral, with numerous internet users accusing Miller of stoking political tensions, reports the Mirror US.

"They're repeating the word 'insurrection' as many times as they can on state to manufacture consent for using the insurrection act," one individual alleged. Another person criticized Miller for labeling the protesters as "insurrectionists" after President Donald Trump pardoned thousands linked to the Capitol Hill riots on Jan. 6, 2021.

A group of individuals, dressed in dark clothing, is seen traversing a street enveloped in fog. Some individuals in the group appear to be wearing tactical gear, and they are walking amidst the mist, with a building faintly visible in the background.View 4 Images

Federal agents clash with protestors outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

"Pardoning insurrectionists, then branding protesters as such? This isn't law enforcement-it's political vengeance against dissent," one individual penned.

When questioned if the federal government was contemplating charges against the protesters, Miller stated that the final decision would rest with the Justice Department.

"What I would say very clearly is that you only have to read their own words and hear their own words and judge their own conduct," he expressed. "Understand that this is clearly an insurgency against the federal government. They are describing a federal government as an occupying force. Just think about that for a second."

An image depicting a group of individuals in tactical gear standing in a row with a prominent release of blue smoke in the foreground. The setting appears to be an urban environment with buildings in the background.View 4 Images

Federal immigration officers stand outside Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building as tear gas is deployed(Image: AP)

Miller emphasized that the federal government holds the responsibility of enforcing the law across all 50 states, including immigration law. "We have one national currency, we have one national flag, we have one national Constitution, we have one national immigration law," he declared.

"If you were to permit individual cities and states to ratify their own immigration laws for themselves, you wouldn't have a republic and you wouldn't have a country, and that's the proposition that [Minneapolis Mayor Jacob] Frey and [Minnesota Attorney General Keith] Ellison and [Minnesota Gov. Tim] Walz are trying to test."

Miller has blamed local and state leaders for inciting violence against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the state. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other officials have demanded ICE to "get out" of their city, with Minneapolis City Council member Jason Chavez labeling the number of agents in the city as an "invasion.

"In other words, they use violence to override votes. That is what you're seeing, and that is what is happening," Miller stated. Renee Good, a mother of three, was fatally shot by an ICE agent during an operation in Minneapolis.

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Good, aged 37, seemed to be driving her SUV away from the ICE agents on the street, but the Trump administration has accused her of trying to run over ICE officer Jonathan Ross before he fired at her. The administration labeled Good's actions as "domestic terrorism," triggering nationwide outrage.

On Wednesday night, a Venezuelan immigrant was shot in the leg by an ICE agent after allegedly rushing at officers with a shovel following a traffic stop. Early Thursday, President Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota.

"If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don't obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State," the president posted on Truth Social.