Stephen Miller clashed with CNN’s Boris Sanchez on Monday after the host asked about Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) accusing the Trump administration of sending federal immigration agents to Chicago to target people of color.
Pritzker — in a CNN appearance on Sunday — hit back at Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s claims that Chicago is a “war zone,” stressing that the Trump administration is making the city into one and pointing to agents checking for Black and brown people’s “credentials” instead of going after “the bad guys.”
“Is it the case that, as Pritzker frames it, you are profiling brown people? That this immigration crackdown is designed to go after people of color?” Sanchez asked the senior White House aide.
The governor’s remarks arrived less than a week after a violent, early morning raid in the South Shore neighborhood where agents zip-tied residents, pulled children — some naked — out of their apartments, and separated families.
Miller — who described Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s (D) efforts to bar federal immigration agents from conducting operations on city property as “domestic terrorism” — laughed off Sanchez’s ask.
“That is the — it’s such a — oh, what a dumb question!” Miller said.
Sanchez, after Miller seemingly dodged his question with a diatribe against “illegal aliens,” pressed on.
“So that’s not exactly a no, Stephen, can you just unequivocally state —,” Sanchez began.
“I just said — well, I did — I said it’s a dumb question,” Miller interjected. “OK, no and it’s a dumb question.”
Sanchez started up again, “So, no, this policy is not designed to —.”
Miller cut in, “I thought when I said, ‘It’s a dumb question,’ it meant no.”
Sanchez continued, “Well, I just want to be clear and precise. I appreciate you trying to qualify my questions but, nevertheless, I think it’s a fair one that a lot of people have.”
Miller replied, “My full answer is, ‘No, that is a lie and it’s a dumb question.’”
The fiery exchange arrives on the same day that Illinois and the city of Chicago filed a lawsuit to block Donald Trump from sending hundreds of National Guard troops into Chicago, where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility is the site of protests against the president’s immigration crackdown.