Stephen Miller (born August 23, 1985, in Santa Monica, California) is an American political advisor and far-right strategist known for his staunch anti-immigration stance and for shaping hardline immigration policies. Raised in a Jewish family in the Los Angeles area, he became active in conservative politics during his time at Santa Monica High School and Duke University, where he studied political science, led the campus chapter of Students for Academic Freedom, and graduated in 2007. Miller began his Republican political career as a press secretary for Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Representative John Shadegg, before serving as communications director for Senator Jeff Sessions. He joined Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, becoming a key architect of its nationalist messaging. During the first Trump administration (2017–2021), Miller served as a senior advisor to President Trump, senior advisor for policy, and director of speechwriting, and was White House deputy chief of staff for policy. He was the principal architect of hardline immigration policies, including the travel ban targeting Muslim-majority countries (commonly referred to as the "Muslim ban"), the "zero tolerance" family separation policy at the U.S. border, and efforts to restrict asylum and refugee admissions. Following Trump's 2021 departure, Miller founded America First Legal, a conservative advocacy group. With Trump's return to the presidency in 2025, Miller was appointed White House deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security advisor, continuing to influence far-right initiatives. Throughout his career, he has been labeled a conspiracy theorist for promoting unfounded claims linking immigration to crime and has faced widespread criticism for his role in humanitarian controversies, while remaining a central architect of Trumpism.