On a sun-drenched bluff in Santa Monica, a city known for its affluent lifestyle and beachy atmosphere, thousands gathered to decry the Trump administration during the nationwide protests termed “No Kings Day.”
Among the signs displayed, one particularly resonated with the Santa Monica crowd: “America, we’re sorry.”
One protester, donning a straw hat and bearing a handmade sign, expressed the community’s collective remorse with the words: “Santa Monica apologizes for Stephen Miller.”
The manifest discontent towards Miller, who has emerged as a prominent figure within President Donald Trump’s administration, speaks volumes about the local perception of his controversial immigration policies.
Miller’s role as the White House deputy chief of staff has not only established him as a key player in Trump’s administration but has also triggered widespread fear, particularly in the Greater Los Angeles area, where federal agents have aggressively targeted immigrants through deportation raids.
In response to his policies, discussions surrounding Miller’s upbringing in the predominantly liberal Santa Monica have gained renewed attention.
“I think people are sad that the words ‘Santa Monica’ and ‘Stephen Miller’ are synonymous, because no one wants that connection,” remarked Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete.
How did this 8.3-square-mile city, known for its environmental sustainability efforts and robust tenants’ rights legislation, produce a figure like Miller, whose policies have drawn harsh criticism from many?
Some observers speculate that the recent federal focus on Los Angeles might be perceived as a form of retribution against Miller’s own community.
Justin Gordon, a childhood friend of Miller’s, recalled alarming social media rumors about ICE raids in local parks, which initially made him suspect Miller’s involvement.
While those rumors were unsubstantiated, Gordon still recognized a deeper emotional truth behind that thought: “In the back of my mind, I’ve always thought, ‘This is Stephen Miller getting back at the city of Los Angeles.’”
As Miller’s political rise stretches across more than eight years, his high school experience in Santa Monica, often referred to as a ‘liberal enclave,’ has drawn scrutiny and analysis.
The period when Miller was a teenager marked a time of transition for Santa Monica, where an affluent society, characterized by a countercultural ethos, began to dominate.
Santa Monica was contrastingly split; while the upper classes thrived in the wealthier northern half, the southern regions struggled with poverty and gang-related issues.
Santa Monica High School illustrated this divide: it was known for its rigorous academics yet also witnessed self-segregation and cultural tensions among students.
The school, often hailed for its diversity, was a melting pot that sought to promote equity, yet Miller found himself increasingly at odds with its values.
His disdain for what he perceived as overtly liberal values led Miller to voice his criticisms openly, signaling a temperament that presaged his future political inclinations.
“Miller made no secret of his revulsion toward the policies promoting inclusivity and diversity,” stated Jean Guerrero, a former columnist who authored a biography titled “Hatemonger.”
During high school, Miller reported that those years were the most challenging of his life, fueled by a sentiment of alienation due to his conservative beliefs.
Miller has been noted for his early expressions of grievance politics, a theme that would become instrumental in the political landscape under Trump.
Among his more memorable antics was a campaign speech in which he outrageously declared that students should not be obliged to clean up after themselves, prompting jeers from his peers.
He ultimately lost that student government election, but his confrontational style set the stage for future political exploits.
As Miller graduated in 2003 and transitioned to Duke University, his political career took off as he aligned himself with figures such as then-Rep. Michele Bachmann and Senator Jeff Sessions.
His resentments from his Santa Monica upbringing found fertile ground in Trump’s platform, allowing him to climb the ranks of the far-right political agenda.
In Trump’s second term, Miller has adopted even more aggressive tactics than previously, advocating for the deployment of military forces to reinforce immigration control in U.S. cities.
This administration’s show of force, especially in areas with large immigrant populations like Los Angeles, appears targeted and deliberate, echoing Miller’s personal history and his complex relationships with his hometown.
“Given that he understands the sprawling diversity and cultural richness of L.A., he knows it’s ripe for conflicts that can yield political capital,” remarked Ari Rosmarin, a civil rights attorney and Miller’s former classmate.
Through these controversies and the larger narratives surrounding immigrant rights, what remains clear is the paradox of Stephen Miller: a product of a community that has, in many ways, rebuffed his ideology, yet a man who has channeled that very history into a relentless pursuit of a political agenda that starkly contrasts with his formative environment.
image source from：latimes
