Democrats must call Stephen Miller to testify about his role in the White House -- and quit paying him if he refuses

It's time for House Democrats to haul White House senior adviser Stephen Miller up to Capitol Hill and grill him under oath, according to government watchdogs.

Miller has been blamed for the ongoing purge of Homeland Security officials who don't share his harsh anti-immigration views, and he should be asked to explain his "white nationalist" influence on President Donald Trump, argued Washington Post columnist Greg Sargent.

"While Miller’s worldview has obviously been important in shaping Trump’s policies," Sargent said, "his influence should be understood in another way, too: He is one of the leading figures pushing the Trump administration toward increasing venality, corruption and lawlessness."

Government watchdogs agree.

“That would absolutely be a good use of congressional resources,” said Josh Chafetz, a professor at Cornell Law School. “There’s no reason Congress shouldn’t learn what’s going on with the formulation of immigration policy. "

Chafetz said Democrats should hold Miller in contempt if he refuses -- and threaten to withhold his government salary.

Douglas Rivlin, communications director for the America’s Voice immigration reform group, said Miller should face congressional oversight because he was effectively running DHS.

The Post's reporting has found White House officials tried at least twice to pressure immigration authorities to release detained migrants in "sanctuary cities" as retaliation against Trump's enemies, and Miller was apparently behind the scheme.

Sargent argued that Miller's proposal -- which he pushed over the objections of other officials -- was "arguably corrupt and legally dubious," and the Trump adviser was deeply involved in efforts to pressure ousted DHS secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to break the law by closing off the border to asylum seekers.

He also helped orchestrate Trump's Muslim ban over objections by DHS officials, and Miller also covered up government data showing refugees provided net economic benefits and played a key role in pushing the family separation policies.

"Miller should face deeper and tougher scrutiny from House Democrats about his involvement in all of it," Sargent said. "They can hold hearings and demand that he testify — which could shed light on both Trump’s efforts to flout the law and on the colossal mess Trump is making of border policy right now."