DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin doubles down amid MAGA backlash to previous comments about ‘not handling things’ like predecessor Kristi Noem
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin pushed back against criticism from President Donald Trump‘s political base after remarks to state governors sparked accusations that he was too lenient on immigration enforcement.
In an exclusive interview with NewsNation’s Ali Bradley, Mullin defended comments he made days earlier at the National Governors Association Summer Meeting in Oklahoma City, where he urged governors to cooperate with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and encouraged migrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to pursue legal citizenship.
“Well, they took everything I said out of context,” Mullin told Bradley. “I made it very clear that if the cities and states will work with us to get worst, we won’t have the issues we have right now. That was very clear. They can take whatever they want out of context.”
Mullin pointed to the number of deportations under the Trump administration compared with former President Joe Biden‘s administration, saying removals were “hitting record numbers” and questioning “why we wouldn’t want to partner with our cities and states.”
“It’s frustrating to me that someone would take a 15-second clip and blow it way out of proportion,” Mullin said. “The fact is we are fighting against illegals harder than we ever have and we’re not going to stop. There is no room, zero room for illegals here. If they are here illegally, go home, or we will arrest you and send you.”
The comments that sparked the firestorm
At the governors’ summit, Mullin urged Democratic governors to “let me work with you on” immigration enforcement and help remove the “worst of the worst” from American streets.
He also encouraged TPS holders to “go through the system legally” to obtain citizenship.
Mullin drew the sharpest backlash when he contrasted his approach with that of former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
“I’m not handling things like maybe the past secretary had,” Mullin said.
According to The Daily Beast, Mullin also told attendees, “This narrative that it steals American jobs is true in some industries. It’s not true for all industries,” while calling for changes to employment visa programs to address labor shortages.
“We want to take care of Americans first. It’s our economy. It’s our homeland, but there’s a way to utilize labor,” he said.
Hours later, Mullin sought to clarify his position on X, writing, “NO amnesty for illegal aliens. Ever. We are a nation of laws. If you are illegally present in the United States of America — you will be detained and deported. Period.”
MAGA figures erupt online
The remarks prompted an immediate backlash from prominent Trump supporters.
Far-right activist Laura Loomer called on Trump to remove Mullin, using a derogatory variation of his name in a post on X.
“When we have another 9/11 or Americans are attacked with drones by Islamic communists, Markwayne Muslim is going to be to blame,” Loomer wrote.
Far-right podcaster Jack Posobiec told Politico that “there is a growing wave among MAGA to find a DHS secretary who puts deportations first.”
Former U.S. Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino also criticized Mullin on X.
“Every time I look up, I see a new terrible answer or thought coming out of Mark Mullin’s mouth in this interview… This is the man running our Department of Homeland Security. And we wonder why we’re going to lose the midterms?” Bovino wrote.
Bovino, a former prominent enforcer of Trump’s deportation agenda, retired in March 2026 after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal immigration officers in separate incidents in Minneapolis.
Former Trump campaign adviser Steve Bannon told Politico that Mullin was “the wrong guy at the wrong time for the wrong job — a time when we need focus on ‘mass deportations,’ we get an amnesty advocate.”
Bannon suggested Trump’s base wanted the president to “detail ‘Pitbull’ Pulte to DHS,” referring to acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte.
White House stands by Mullin
Despite the backlash, the Trump administration has continued to support Mullin.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said “the president has confidence in Secretary Mullin and his entire Administration to carry out the agenda the American people voted for.”
An unnamed DHS spokesperson pointed to statistics showing deportations, self-deportations and arrests remained at record levels under Mullin, with more than 350,000 migrants deported so far in 2026.
A pattern of growing MAGA discontent
The latest backlash is part of a broader pattern of friction between Mullin and hardline immigration advocates within Trump’s movement.
Since replacing Noem in March, Mullin has taken steps to reform the agency overseeing ICE following his predecessor’s scandal-plagued tenure. Those moves have frustrated prominent MAGA figures who accuse him of trying to appease Democrats and soften the administration’s mass-deportation strategy.
Trump has continued to stand by Mullin, although he similarly defended Noem publicly before eventually removing her.
A secretary walking a political tightrope
Mullin was expected to be less focused on publicity than Noem while remaining firmly committed to Trump’s deportation agenda.
Instead, he now faces pressure from both sides: the administration’s demand for aggressive immigration enforcement and a MAGA base pushing for even tougher rhetoric and action.
That tension has left Mullin walking a difficult political line as he attempts to maintain Trump’s immigration agenda while working with state and local officials who do not share his political views.