DC ICE CHECKPOINTS SURGE: STEPHEN MILLER-DRIVEN CRACKDOWN SPARKS PROTESTS

Vox argues Stephen Miller’s deportation-first agenda is driving a visible surge in DC immigration enforcement — checkpoints, ICE patrols, and MPD cooperation — that is provoking protests and political backlash rather than consolidating control. The analysis contrasts Miller’s heavy-handed tactics with more legalistic authoritarian strategies, asserting the crackdown harms immigrant communities while politically backfiring. It situates the DC deployments within a broader July–August enforcement uptick tied to Miller’s influence.