WASHINGTON, D.C. – Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin delivered a forceful defense of the Department of Homeland Security during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on the agency’s fiscal year 2027 budget request.
Appearing before the House for the first time since leaving Congress and succeeding Kristi Noem as secretary, Mullin highlighted the critical work being carried out by DHS personnel while facing pointed questions from Democratic lawmakers. The hearing covered a variety of other topics including the impact of the partial government shutdown, security planning for upcoming FIFA events, oversight of immigration detention facilities, and training for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
Mullin pushed back against misinformation concerning the ICE facility in Newark, New Jersey and contrasted federal detention standards with the notorious (yet largely unscrutinized) condition of the Garden State’s prison system. Mullin came armed with stats, noting an inmate is twice as likely to die to a New Jersey state prison than at a facility like Delaney Hall.
Mullin also strongly rejected allegations that racism or white nationalist messaging exists within DHS, arguing that such claims unfairly malign the thousands of men and women who risk their safety to protect the country. He warned that repeated attacks on federal law enforcement personnel undermine public trust and make their jobs more dangerous.
Several Democrats also questioned Mullin’s temperament and his handling of anti-ICE protests. The secretary remained firm in defending both his leadership and the department’s enforcement efforts, emphasizing the need to support officers carrying out the nation’s immigration and homeland security laws.
.@SecMullinDHS DEBUNKS sanctuary politicians’ hoaxes by comparing Delaney Hall with the HORRIFIC conditions at New Jersey State prisons ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/coIWIqLQGf
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) June 3, 2026
