Stephen Miller, a former senior White House adviser to Donald Trump, has ignited a fierce online backlash after making inflammatory comments about immigration in a social media post about a classic Christmas television special.
Christmas Viewing Sparks Controversial Take
The controversy began when Miller took to the social media platform X to describe watching 'The Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra Family Christmas' with his children. However, he swiftly pivoted from festive sentiment to political provocation.
'Imagine watching that and thinking America needed infinity migrants from the third world,' Miller wrote in the post on Friday, October 6th, 2025.
The 1967 special, a beloved holiday fixture, features iconic performers like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Bing Crosby singing classics such as 'Silent Night' and 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas'.
Swift and Pointed Online Backlash
Miller's remarks were met with immediate and widespread criticism from commentators and other X users.
Political commentator Richard Hanania responded pointedly, asking, 'Do you spend a single waking moment not seething over how much you hate immigrants?' Another user, Rick G. Rosner, advised Miller to 'Enjoy your racism grift while it lasts.'
The most substantive rebuttal came from Sarah Longwell, founder of the anti-Trump conservative publication The Bulwark. She used the platform to correct Miller's apparent historical oversight regarding the stars of the show he had just watched.
Correcting the Historical Record
Longwell noted that Dean Martin, born Dino Paul Crocetti, was the son of Italian immigrants, with his heritage deeply influencing his life and career. She stated he overcame struggles through hard work to become a 'beloved American icon with a unique charm rooted in his cultural background.'
She extended the lesson to Frank Sinatra, writing that he was 'the son of Italian immigrants, born in Hoboken, NJ' to parents from Sicily and Liguria who sought opportunity in America. Longwell described Sinatra as a 'proud first-generation Italian-American' whose journey reflected immigrant struggles, eventually making him a quintessential American icon who championed his heritage while facing prejudice.
Other social media users joined in. A parody account styled after California Governor Gavin Newsom (@AwesomeNewsom) posted, 'imagine watching a Christmas special by two American icons who are children of immigrants, and still finding a way to be Adolf Dracula about it.'
A History of Prejudice and Contribution
While Italian immigrants might not be labelled 'third world' by contemporary standards, they faced significant discrimination upon arrival in the United States. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, they were often stereotyped as uneducated or linked to criminality.
They encountered prejudice in hiring, leading to economic hardship and poor housing, and faced hostility from nativist groups opposed to immigration. Despite these challenges, Italian-Americans built resilient communities and made profound contributions to American culture, labour, and society, with figures like Sinatra and Martin achieving iconic status.
As of Friday evening, Stephen Miller had not publicly responded to the criticism levelled against him on social media. The incident highlights the enduringly contentious nature of immigration discourse in American politics.
