Trump allies call for removal of Homeland Security Secretary Mullin over migrant visa comments

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin faced calls for his removal from supporters of President Donald Trump after he said migrant work visas could help address U.S. labor shortages at a National Governors Association meeting. Right-wing podcaster Jake Posobiec said the remarks fueled a “growing wave among MAGA to find a DHS secretary who puts deportations first.”

A senior White House official, speaking anonymously, said Mullin “deserves credit for uniting the Trump administration around a cohesive point of view” but added, “Everyone agrees he sucks donkey butt.”

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson responded that the president retains confidence in Mullin and his team to implement the agenda voted for by Americans. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson reiterated that “if you come to the United States illegally, you will be detained and deported,” and warned that contrary statements aim to create division.

The controversy follows reports that Mullin ordered ICE to stop traffic stops after two fatal shootings involving Mexican and Colombian nationals, a move that President Trump later opposed on social media, emphasizing the importance of traffic stops as a crime-fighting tool. Former Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino criticized Mullin for highlighting naturalization numbers while discussing immigration enforcement.

Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon suggested replacing Mullin with former acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte, arguing that the administration needs a focus on “mass deportations” rather than what he described as “amnesty.”

After the governors’ meeting, Mullin posted on social media that there would be “no amnesty for illegal aliens” and affirmed that anyone illegally present in the United States would be detained and deported. ICE data show more than 356,000 deportations since October 1, with the White House reportedly targeting one million removals per year.