Miller Blasts Newsom and Bass: Prioritizing Immigrants Over LA Wildfire Recovery

In a scathing critique, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller has accused California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass of prioritizing the protection of illegal immigrants over rebuilding communities devastated by wildfires earlier this year. According to Miller, the energy and resources spent on sheltering undocumented individuals could have already restored areas like the Palisades, with time and funds to spare.

The criticism comes amidst heightened tensions between California leaders and the Trump administration. President Donald Trump has openly condemned Bass for what he calls 'gross incompetence' and demanded Newsom’s resignation over the state’s handling of the January wildfires, which inflicted property damages estimated between $28 billion and $53.8 billion in Los Angeles alone, as reported by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation.

Further fueling the conflict, Trump’s decision to deploy and federalize thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines in response to riots in LA—sparked by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests in June—has drawn sharp rebuke from Newsom. The governor labeled the federal intervention an 'unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.'

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles City Council’s November vote to designate LA as a sanctuary city, prohibiting local resources from aiding federal immigration enforcement, has only deepened the rift. Miller, in a separate social media post, slammed Bass for suggesting that her city operates outside federal authority, accusing her of endorsing unchecked immigration policies.

As this political storm brews, the core issue remains: how should a city balance humanitarian policies with the urgent need to rebuild after natural disasters? The debate is far from over, and the people of Los Angeles are still waiting for answers—and action.