Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is reportedly pushing back against criticism from some of President Donald Trump’s MAGA supporters, arguing that his recent remarks to state governors about immigration were taken out of context.
In an exclusive interview with NewsNation’s Ali Bradley on Tuesday, Mullin responded to the backlash that followed comments he made during the National Governors Association Summer Meeting in Oklahoma City. The remarks sparked criticism online from several prominent conservative voices, who accused the DHS chief of taking a conciliatory approach toward Democratic governors and migrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
Mullin rejected those claims, insisting his message had been misrepresented.
“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 worse, we won’t have the issues we have right now. That was very clear. They can take whatever they want out of context.”
The homeland security secretary emphasized the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts, contrasting deportation numbers under President Trump with those during former President Joe Biden’s administration. Mullin said deportations have reached record levels and argued that stronger cooperation between federal, state, and local governments would only improve those results.
“These deportations are hitting record numbers, and I don’t know why we wouldn’t want to partner with our cities and states,” he said.
Mullin also expressed frustration over how his comments were shared online, saying a brief clip did not reflect the full context of his remarks.
“It’s frustrating to me that someone would take a 15-second clip and blow it way out of proportion,” he 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.”
During Sunday’s meeting with governors, Mullin encouraged leaders from Democratic-controlled states to work with the Department of Homeland Security on immigration enforcement. He urged them to help remove what he described as the “worst of the worst” from their communities.
He also addressed migrants participating in the Temporary Protected Status program, encouraging them to “go through the system legally” if they hope to obtain U.S. citizenship.
“I’m not handling things like maybe the past secretary had,” Mullin said, referring to former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
Those comments quickly ignited criticism from several well-known MAGA figures.
Conservative influencer Laura Loomer called on President Trump to dismiss Mullin, posting on X that Trump should fire him while using the word “Muslim” as a slur in place of Mullin’s last name.
“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.
Podcaster Jack Posobiec also questioned Mullin’s approach, telling Politico there is “a growing wave among MAGA to find a DHS secretary who puts deportations first.”
Former U.S. Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino likewise 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,” Bovino wrote. “… This is the man running our Department of Homeland Security. And we wonder why we’re going to lose the midterms?”
Bovino, who had been a prominent public face of President Trump’s deportation agenda, retired in March after two U.S. citizens were shot and killed in separate incidents involving federal immigration officers in Minneapolis.
Former Trump campaign adviser Steve Bannon also criticized Mullin, telling Politico that he was “the wrong guy at the wrong time for the wrong job,” arguing that the administration should remain focused on “mass deportations” rather than what he described as an amnesty approach. Bannon suggested Trump’s supporters would prefer the president assign acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte, whom he referred to as “Pitbull” Pulte, to lead DHS.
Despite the criticism from some members of the president’s political base, Trump has continued to stand behind Mullin during his tenure. According to the report, deportations and immigration arrests under the administration have reached record or near-record levels, with more than 350,000 migrants deported so far in 2026.
