U.S. Department of Homeland Security (photo by Tia Dufour)
Markwayne Mullin is an American Republican politician and businessman who serves as the 9th U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, sworn in on March 24, 2026. He previously represented Oklahoma in the U.S. House of Representatives and then in the U.S. Senate, for a combined 13 years, and before entering Congress ran his family’s plumbing business, Mullin Plumbing.
We have documented statements by Markwayne Mullin on 2026 Midterm Elections, Election Security, and Federalism, among other topics. Read the quotations, original sources and related cases below.
Case updates
Following the investigation of the Marble Hill ICE shooting?
Get an email if DHS explains why the officer fired, if video of the shooting is released, or if city or state authorities open their own review.
Important updates only. Free. Confirm your email to start. Unsubscribe anytime. How we handle your email.
Role at the time: U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, interviewed on CBS's Face the Nation
Defended or excused
Statement summary
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin told CBS's Margaret Brennan that officers had taken every precaution, that the man decided to accelerate and try to evade again, and that because of his selfish behavior he put his five-year-old at danger.
“He decided that he was going to accelerate and try to evade again. We had taken every precaution to try to keep that from happening, and- and unfortunately, this took place. We would have loved for him to exit the vehicle like we asked him to. He decided not to, and unfortunately, because of the selfish behavior, he put his five-year-old at danger.”
Read the original text (opens in a new tab)Transcript: Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Oct. 11, 2026 (CBS News)Mullin's second answer to Margaret Brennan about the Marble Hill shooting, after her question about releasing the officers' body camera footage.
Why we used this label
The reference point is whether the ICE officer was justified in shooting the man in the car. Mullin says the man "decided that he was going to accelerate and try to evade again" after officers took "every precaution", which places responsibility for the shooting on him and supports the officer's conduct as justified, so we labeled it Defended or excused. The closest competing label is Challenged characterization, since he rebuts the account in the question; it loses because he goes on to defend how the operation was run.
Role at the time: U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, interviewed on CNN's State of the Union
Defended or excused
Statement summary
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin told CNN's Jake Tapper that Oscar Belgal knew exactly who the officers were and decided to flee once again, and that when someone tries to flee from officers they are making their own decisions. He also described Belgal as a thug and a gangbanger and read out his record.
“He knew exactly who we were. He decided to flee once again, like he had done before. And so, when someone tries to flee from us, they're taking their -- they're making their decisions at that time.”
Read the original text (opens in a new tab)Interview with U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, State of the Union with Jake Tapper (CNN transcript)Mullin's first two answers to Jake Tapper's questions about the Marble Hill shooting, beginning about 09:04 ET.
Why we used this label
The reference point is whether the ICE officer was justified in shooting the man in the car. Mullin says the man knew who the officers were, chose to flee as he had before, and was "making their decisions at that time", which places responsibility for the confrontation on him and supports the officer's conduct as justified, so we labeled it Defended or excused. The closest competing label is Challenged characterization, because he rebuts Tapper's suggestion that plainclothes officers may not have been recognized; it loses because he goes on to defend how the operation was run.
Role at the time: U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, at a news briefing at ICE headquarters in Washington
Defended or excused
Statement summary
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said at a Friday news briefing at ICE headquarters in Washington that the agents were not aware the child was in the car and that the man knew he had a child in his car. NBC News reported that Mullin was blaming the man for endangering the child.
“We weren't aware the child was in the car ... Oscar knew he had a child in his car”
Open source (opens in a new tab)DHS officials defend their actions in shooting of NYC immigrant amid outcry (NBC News)Third and fourth paragraphs, quoting Mullin at the Friday news briefing at ICE headquarters.
Why we used this label
The reference point is whether the ICE officer was justified in shooting the man in the car. Mullin says the agents were not aware the child was in the car and that the man knew his child was there, which places responsibility for the child's presence on the man and supports the officer's conduct as justified, so we labeled it Defended or excused. The closest competing label is Challenged the characterization, because he disputes the claim that agents knowingly fired at a child; he goes on to assign blame to the man, so it loses.
Role at the time: U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, at a press conference at ICE headquarters in Washington
Defended or excused
Statement summary
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said at a press conference at ICE headquarters that agents identified themselves and gave lawful orders as they approached the vehicle, that there was no question who was approaching, and that a person who flees knows officers will not give up on him. He said ICE is not pausing enforcement in New York and is not sorry, because its job is to enforce the nation's laws and go after the worst of the worst.
“We identified ourselves and gave lawful orders as we approached the vehicle. There was no question who was approaching the vehicle. ... When you flee, especially for a criminal like him, he knows that officers aren't going to give up on him ... We're not putting a pause on enforcement ... In fact, I'm not sorry. Our job is to enforce the nation's laws and go after the worst of the worst, and our men and women do a dang good job at it every single day, and we will not stop doing our job.”
Open source (opens in a new tab)ICE agent fired 7 rounds into car with 5-year-old inside in Marble Hill, authorities sayParagraphs on Secretary Markwayne Mullin's account of the shooting, including the quotation beginning 'We identified ourselves'.
Why we used this label
The reference point is whether the ICE officer was justified in shooting the man in the car. Mullin says agents identified themselves and gave lawful orders, that the man fled and knew officers would not give up, and that ICE will not pause enforcement or apologize, which supports the officer's conduct as justified, so we labeled it Defended or excused. The closest competing label is Challenged the characterization, which would fit a dispute with critics' description of the shooting; he goes on to defend the operation itself, so it loses.
Waiving the New Mexico Water Code and the state's well-drilling rules is necessary to ensure the expeditious construction of border barriers and roads in the El Paso Sector project area.
“In order to ensure the expeditious construction of additional physical barriers and roads in the project area, I have determined that it is necessary that I exercise the authority that is vested in me by section 102(c) of IIRIRA.”
Read the original text (opens in a new tab)Determination Pursuant to Section 102 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, as Amended · U.S. Department of Homeland Security91 FR 62739-62740, Determination and Waiver, Sections 1 and 2
Why we used this label
The reference point is DHS's October 2 waiver of New Mexico water law and the federal use of wells drilled without state permits for border wall construction. Mullin signed the waiver and says it is "necessary" to ensure "the expeditious construction of additional physical barriers and roads", so we labeled it Defended. The closest competing label is Mixed or conditional; it loses because the notice attaches no condition to the waiver within the project area.
Asked whether DHS officers were told to pose as voters to obtain records, Mullin denies that the department issued such a directive and says it would fix the problem if the allegation proved true.
“That's absolutely not the directive that we put out there, and it's not even close to what we're doing.”
Open the original interview (opens in a new tab)Inside Politics transcript: Markwayne Mullin responds to voter-portal allegationDana Bash question about alleged voter impersonation; Mullin response at about 12:35 p.m.
Why we used this label
Mullin explicitly denies that DHS directed officers to misrepresent themselves on voter portals. He says the department would correct such conduct if it occurred.
Role at the time: Secretary of Homeland Security, interviewed by podcaster Benny Johnson on the floor of the Republican National Convention
Defended or excused
Statement summary
In an interview with podcaster Benny Johnson on the floor of the Republican National Convention, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, asked about Rep. Ilhan Omar, said “something’s going to happen” and that “this is an ongoing investigation.” He said “we know that she married her brother to try to bring him in the United States” and that “there may be more to this.” Using the second person (“you”) rather than naming Omar, he then said that if someone lied on their application and the government can prove it, that person “shouldn’t have been here in the first place” and “We’ll deport you.” He said any case the administration brings is “not political.” Mullin’s description of Omar’s marriage is his own claim.
“Something’s going to happen. And this is an ongoing investigation. We know that she married her brother to try to bring him in the United States. We know he lives now in London.” … “there may be more to this, the whole family migration and possibly some illegal activity for them to come to the United States to begin with.” … “If you decided to break the law or lie on the information you gave the United States … you lied about certain things about your application, those things, there’s no expiration to that. If we can prove it, then you shouldn’t have been here in the first place. We’ll deport you.”
Watch the original video (opens in a new tab)Benny Johnson’s interview with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin at the Republican National Convention (video) · Benny Johnson08:47–10:29 (Mullin’s answer on Rep. Ilhan Omar).
Why we used this label
Mullin makes the accusation himself and presents it as known (“we know that she married her brother”), says an investigation is ongoing, and adds, in the second person and without naming Omar, that people who lied on their applications can be deported if that is proved. That defends the accusation and its pursuit rather than merely reporting it. The closest competing label is “Mixed or conditional”, because he says he would act only if a claim can be proved and that any case would not be political; it loses because those qualifications concern how a case would proceed, while the underlying claim about Omar is stated as fact without condition.
ICE officers would be at polling places only if there is a threat to the polling place or they are serving a warrant on someone ICE has been actively tracking down.
“I was being very, very clear when I said ICE isn't there to patrol the polling places. We're there to enforce specific threats. The only reason why we would be at polling places if there is a threat to that polling place or we're serving a warrant on someone that we have been actively tracking down.
…
If we're serving a warrant, we will be where we need to be.”
Watch the original video (opens in a new tab)Homeland Security Secretary Mullin on ICE Enforcement Operations in New York (C-SPAN video) · C-SPANNews conference of Sept. 1, 2026; reporter's question and Mullin's answer on polling places, about 20:28 to 21:50
Why we used this label
The fixed reference point is the administration's stated or threatened use of ICE at or near polling places. Mullin said ICE would not patrol polling places but would be at one for a threat or to serve a warrant, so his position depends on express conditions. Defends or excuses loses because he did not argue for agents at polling places generally, and denies loses because he did not rule out a presence.
San Antonio says DHS and ICE skipped a required environmental review before converting an East Side warehouse into a detention facility for up to 1,500 people. DHS says the lawsuit is about stopping immigration enforcement, not the environment.
An ICE officer shot a man in a car in Marble Hill on October 8. DHS calls it a targeted arrest and had not said by October 9 why the officer fired. Mamdani says early reports indicate agents surrounded the man and child before firing.
DHS says it must set aside state water law to build barriers and roads quickly. New Mexico's governor and water officials say the federal government is taking scarce groundwater without permits and cannot waive the state's water code.
A whistleblower alleges DHS officers were told to misrepresent themselves on state voter portals. Released training permits searches but does not show that instruction. Secretary Mullin denies it.
A July DHS order, disclosed in October, excludes DeepSeek from covered federal civilian systems and procurement. DHS cites security risks. China's foreign ministry objects to politicizing technology and trade under national-security arguments.
Ilhan Omar denies officials' claim that she married her brother and says DHS has not contacted her. Compare the interviews, her responses and the available evidence about a claimed investigation.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin says ICE would go to polling places only for a threat or a warrant, and DHS says ICE is not planning operations targeting them but arrests could follow a threat. Three lawsuits allege that position violates federal law.
DOJ has expanded its pursuit of citizenship revocation. Officials defend the campaign as correcting unlawful naturalization, while congressional critics question its broad discretion and the safeguards against political targeting.
