California Gov. Gavin Newsom placed direct blame on United States Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller for the violence and unrest following federal immigration enforcement actions, saying Miller bears responsibility for deaths and chaos unfolding across the country.

“Stephen Miller is directly responsible for the deaths, violence, and chaos from Trump Administration’s lawless, violent rampage across America,” Newsom said in a statement. “He must be fired and held accountable.” The remarks mark one of the most explicit accusations by a Democratic governor against Miller, who has been a central architect of the administration’s immigration agenda.

Stephen Miller is directly responsible for the deaths, violence, and chaos from Trump Administration's lawless, violent rampage across America.

He must be fired and held accountable. pic.twitter.com/VZdz4EGSwO

— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) January 27, 2026

Newsom’s comments come amid mounting political and public backlash following the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse and union member who was fatally shot during federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis. The incident sparked nationwide protests and intensified scrutiny of the Trump administration’s immigration policies and leadership at the Department of Homeland Security.

Labor groups have echoed Newsom’s accusations. The American Federation of Government Employees, the nation’s largest federal employee union, has demanded the resignation or termination of both DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Miller, arguing that the policies they designed and implemented directly led to Pretti’s death. AFGE National President Everett Kelley described Miller as the architect of the administration’s immigration strategy and said he made public claims portraying Pretti as a “domestic terrorist,” a characterization the union called false and defamatory.

Pretti was an ICU nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Minnesota and a member of AFGE Local 3669 who devoted his career to caring for veterans. The union said Noem and Miller bear responsibility not only for enforcement actions that escalated tensions but also for public statements made in the aftermath of the shooting that it says undermined trust and accountability.

The union has called for an independent third-party investigation and bipartisan congressional oversight to determine the circumstances surrounding Pretti’s death and the federal decisions that preceded it. AFGE also accused Noem of restructuring DHS leadership, consolidating authority, and prioritizing political objectives over public and officer safety, while asserting that Miller personally directed immigration policy across federal agencies using pressure tactics.

Newsom’s statement adds to a growing chorus of Democratic leaders and organizations demanding accountability at the highest levels of the administration. In recent days, lawmakers have called for Noem’s removal, threatened impeachment proceedings, and accused the administration of using federal resources in ways that endanger civilians and undermine constitutional protections.

By directly naming Miller, Newsom’s remarks shift attention beyond DHS leadership to the White House itself, intensifying pressure on President Donald Trump to address who is responsible for shaping and enforcing immigration policies now at the center of national outrage.