White House senior adviser Stephen Miller had a tense exchange with CNN’s Brianna Keilar on Tuesday as they debated illegal immigration, government fraud, and law enforcement efforts under the Trump administration.
Keilar repeatedly questioned Miller about whether the administration was reviewing IRS records to track cases of tax fraud involving illegal immigrants. Miller responded that any fraud discovered would be investigated and that lawbreakers would be prosecuted.
Hi. Want to see a murder on live TV?
I give you White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller vs. generic CNN Karen.
CNN Karen complains that the White House is prosecuting Illegal Aliens who commit tax fraud.
Then, Fatality… pic.twitter.com/l0jC8WoRNq
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 18, 2025
Miller argued that illegal immigrants who have stolen Social Security numbers and received fraudulent tax benefits should not be shielded from law enforcement. “These are serious crimes,” he stated, adding that ignoring such offenses would undermine the rule of law.
🚨 OH. MY. GOSH. CNN just got nuked live on air.
TRUMP OFFICIAL STEPHEN MILLER: I understand that even a temporary interruption in federal employment is a great crisis and catastrophe for you and CNN. But what the American people see is a government finally delivering… pic.twitter.com/J625N89W9E
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 18, 2025
Keilar attempted to challenge Miller’s claims, but he turned the conversation back on her, questioning why the media is not more focused on financial fraud involving taxpayer funds. He insisted that enforcement efforts would not stop simply because some were uncomfortable with the administration’s approach.
Miller also pushed back against the idea that his position was extreme, stating that enforcing the law equally should not be controversial. He argued that cracking down on fraud would ultimately create more opportunities for American citizens.
Before the segment concluded, Miller questioned CNN’s approach to immigration reporting, stating that no class of people should be above the law, particularly those who have entered the country illegally and then exploited taxpayer-funded programs.
