Rand Paul Again Calls Mullin ‘Unfit’ to Lead DHS as Hearing Highlights 2017 Assault Remarks and ICE Shooting Comments
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, President Trump’s nominee to replace Kristi Noem, faced a contentious March 18 Senate Homeland Security hearing amid a partial DHS shutdown and controversy over aggressive immigration enforcement and two fatal Minneapolis ICE shootings; he initially defended the Minneapolis shooting and used harsh language about the victim before later expressing regret for some remarks. Committee Chair Sen. Rand Paul accused Mullin of excusing a 2017 assault on Paul, called him “unfit” and a “man with anger issues” and said he will vote no, even as other Republicans, border‑security unions and a few Democrats signaled support and senators pressed Mullin about unexplained foreign travel and his candor.
📌 Key Facts
- President Trump nominated Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace fired DHS Secretary Kristi Noem; his confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee was held on March 18, 2026 (scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET), and Noem said her last day as DHS secretary will be March 31 as she is reassigned as Special Envoy for the 'Shield of the Americas.'
- DHS has been in a partial shutdown for about five weeks amid a monthlong funding fight over immigration enforcement, leaving more than 100,000 employees furloughed or working without pay, triggering TSA staffing shortages, long airport lines and delayed disaster aid while lawmakers debate funding and conduct reforms.
- The hearing was dominated by intense exchanges over Mullin’s past rhetoric on political violence and use of force: Committee Chair Sen. Rand Paul recounted his 2017 assault, called Mullin 'a man with anger issues' and said he will oppose the nomination after Mullin said he could 'understand' the attacker; Mullin repeatedly refused a full apology and at times called Paul a 'snake,' while saying he could set aside personal animosity to do the job.
- Mullin faced heavy scrutiny for his comments about controversial ICE enforcement actions in Minneapolis — including a January federal‑agent killing identified in some reports — which sparked protests and bipartisan criticism; Mullin initially defended the operation, later said he regretted calling the victim 'deranged' and acknowledged speaking 'without the facts' while stopping short of a full apology.
- Senators pressed Mullin about unexplained foreign travel and his claims of doing private security or 'special' work in war zones before Congress; he declined to answer directly, aides described some trips as mission work or covered by nondisclosure agreements, and Democrats said they remained unsatisfied after a closed, classified session.
- Support and opposition were split: the White House, the National Border Patrol Council and several GOP senators publicly backed Mullin and emphasized tough enforcement, and some Democrats (including Sen. John Fetterman) indicated willingness to work with him; other Democrats (Sen. Andy Kim, Sen. Richard Blumenthal) and Sen. Rand Paul publicly opposed or demanded major commitments and reforms, leaving the confirmation timeline uncertain despite Republican hopes for a swift vote.
- Lawmakers and former DHS officials warned Mullin will inherit a DHS beset by management problems and a crossroads on immigration strategy — pressured to choose between mass arrest sweeps to boost deportation numbers or more targeted enforcement focused on criminals — and Democrats are leveraging DHS funding to push for conduct and operational reforms.
- On policy, Mullin said he would 'bring confidence back' to DHS, pledged to restructure (but not scrap) FEMA, supported judicial warrants before forcible home entries 'unless we’re pursuing someone,' and said he would review local impacts of new immigration facilities; committee leaders said a committee vote could come quickly but remained uncertain after the hearing.
📊 Relevant Data
Hispanic or Latino individuals comprise 22.8% of the Department of Homeland Security workforce, compared to approximately 19% of the overall U.S. population, indicating an overrepresentation that may heighten the financial impacts of the DHS shutdown on this group.
EEO Management Section | Homeland Security — U.S. Department of Homeland Security
A federal judge found evidence supporting claims that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minnesota racially profiled residents, detaining people solely on the basis of their race on at least 23 occasions during Operation Metro Surge.
Federal judge rules ICE agents in Minnesota illegally detained people based on racial profiling — CBS News
In 2025, at least one-third of ICE detentions, or several hundred thousand, were warrantless, at-large arrests, contributing to concerns over enforcement abuses.
ICE's New Data Weapon Threatens Surge in Warrantless Arrests — American Community Media
From January 21, 2025, to January 7, 2026, there was a 1,347% increase in assaults against ICE officers, highlighting rising risks in enforcement operations.
Radical Rhetoric by Sanctuary Politicians Leads to an Unprecedented 1,300% Increase in Assaults Against ICE Officers — U.S. Department of Homeland Security
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
Quinceañeras and Republican tumult
"A critical commentary arguing that Republican attempts at cultural outreach (evoked by 'quinceañeras') ring hollow amid DHS turmoil and a hard‑line deportation agenda that undermines trust with Latino communities and exposes the party’s internal dysfunction."
📰 Source Timeline (23)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
March 19, 2026
9:30 AM
'Tell me to my face': Top moments in Mullin's heated confirmation hearing to be Trump's next DHS chief
New information:
- Article details Paul’s opening confrontation in which he accuses Mullin of lacking the courage to tell him to his face that the 2017 assault was justified, and Mullin responds by saying he previously told Paul he could "understand" why the neighbor attacked him.
- The piece quotes Mullin explicitly acknowledging that his prior description of Minnesota ICE‑shooting victim Alex Pretti as a "deranged individual that came in to cause max damage" was a mistake, saying, "Those words probably should have been retracted" and that he "went out there too fast" without facts.
- It notes that Committee Chair Rand Paul plans to oppose Mullin’s nomination and that without Democratic support on the panel, Mullin’s confirmation could be substantially slowed despite Trump’s March 31 deadline.
March 18, 2026
11:00 PM
Sen Rand Paul says Trump’s DHS pick, Markwayne Mullin, is 'unfit' for the job after heated hearing exchange
New information:
- In a Fox News 'America Reports' interview, Sen. Rand Paul explicitly called Markwayne Mullin 'unacceptable and unfit to hold office' and said he will vote against his confirmation as DHS secretary.
- Paul detailed that his 2017 neighbor attack caused six broken ribs, lung damage, partial lung removal, and two bouts of pneumonia, arguing that anyone who 'readily' understands or justifies that violence is unfit to lead law enforcement.
- Paul quoted Mullin as saying he could 'understand' why Paul's neighbor attacked him and criticized Mullin’s past references to dueling and caning in the Senate and a quote that 'men will settle their differences by you punching them in the mouth,' portraying this as evidence of a violent temperament.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune is quoted reaffirming that, despite their 'personal history,' he still believes Mullin is the 'right person' for the DHS job, and Paul conceded Mullin is likely to be confirmed absent an apology.
10:40 PM
Mullin grilled on past remarks in tense DHS confirmation hearing
New information:
- PBS piece emphasizes that much of the hearing’s heat centered on senators grilling Mullin over his past comments, not just his unexplained foreign travel or security‑work claims.
- The report highlights senators pressing Mullin on how his leadership and enforcement posture would differ from ousted DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s, framing the hearing around continuity vs. change at DHS.
- The segment underscores that exchanges became "heated and emotional" at multiple points in the hearing, adding color and confirming the contentious tone already reported elsewhere.
10:06 PM
One 'freaking snake' and no apologies: How the Mullin hearing went off the rails
New information:
- Details of a fiery, on‑the‑record clash between committee chair Sen. Rand Paul and nominee Sen. Markwayne Mullin, including Paul’s opening challenge to Mullin to justify earlier remarks that appeared to condone the assault that left Paul with broken ribs.
- Direct quotes in which Mullin reiterates past comments that he could "understand" why Paul’s neighbor attacked him, calls Paul a "freaking snake," and explicitly refuses to apologize during the hearing.
- Color and context around how Mullin leaned into a 'fight, fight, fight' posture aligned with Trump’s political style, with GOP colleagues and former Speaker Kevin McCarthy visibly backing him in the hearing room, highlighting both his loyalty to Trump and the intra‑GOP rift over his nomination.
8:52 PM
Markwayne Mullin’s ‘super secret’ travel suddenly gives senators some pause
New information:
- During the March 18, 2026 hearing, Mullin told senators that his past 'smell of war' comments referred to 2015–2016 foreign trips he described as 'classified,' even though he has no military service and had not disclosed such travel to the committee.
- Sen. Rand Paul and Sen. Gary Peters publicly questioned whether Mullin had in fact been on any 'super secret mission,' noting his travel was with the House Energy and Commerce Committee, not Intelligence or Armed Services.
- After a closed‑door classified session, Democratic senators said they remained unsatisfied with Mullin’s explanation, and Mullin ally Sen. James Lankford suggested the trips may have been covered by a non‑disclosure agreement rather than formally classified activity.
- Lankford, Peters and Sen. Maggie Hassan all told reporters they did not know whether the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee would still vote on Mullin’s nomination on Thursday as Paul had previously indicated, injecting fresh uncertainty into the confirmation timeline.
- Lankford characterized the dispute as "mountain‑molehill stuff" and said the overseas trip involved a whistleblower, framing the issue as much smaller than the committee fight suggests.
8:18 PM
Mullin faces sharp criticism as DHS nominee – and tests softer immigration tone
New information:
- Frames the hearing explicitly against a five‑week partial DHS shutdown and a months‑long DHS leadership crisis, with Mullin pledging to 'bring confidence back to the agency.'
- Details a sharp, personal clash with Committee Chairman Rand Paul, including Paul’s question about trusting 'a man with anger issues' and Mullin’s acknowledgment he said he 'understood' Paul’s 2017 assault.
- Reports Mullin’s specific policy stance that FEMA should be 'restructured, but not scrapped.'
- Adds that Mullin affirmed support for judicial warrants before forcibly entering homes 'unless we’re pursuing someone,' indicating some distance from a DHS policy introduced last year.
- Notes his stated willingness to examine local impacts of new immigration facilities amid community backlash.
- Captures a more complete, hedged expression of regret over calling Minneapolis victim Alex Pretti 'deranged,' with Mullin admitting he spoke 'without the facts' but stopping short of a full apology, saying he would apologize to the family only 'if proven wrong' after an investigation.
- Highlights Democratic Sen. Gary Peters’ concern that Mullin’s account of past official travel 'seems to keep changing,' raising specific questions about his candor and transparency requirements for the nomination process.
- Includes supportive testimony from GOP Sen. James Lankford describing Mullin as a hands‑on problem solver based on a 2013 Oklahoma tornado disaster scene anecdote.
7:43 PM
Watch: Markwayne Mullin says he regrets calling Alex Pretti a "deranged individual"
New information:
- During the confirmation hearing, Sen. Gary Peters questioned Markwayne Mullin about international trips he has taken while serving in Congress.
- Mullin stated on the record that he regrets calling Alex Pretti a 'deranged individual' after Pretti was shot and killed by a federal agent in Minneapolis in early January.
- The clip confirms Mullin is now attempting to walk back at least some of his earlier rhetoric about the Minneapolis killing while under confirmation scrutiny.
5:22 PM
"Tell me to my face": Paul a "no" on Mullin after heated hearing
New information:
- Committee chair Sen. Rand Paul said after the hearing that he will vote against reporting Markwayne Mullin’s DHS nomination out of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
- Paul opened the hearing by challenging Mullin to "tell me to my face" why comments Mullin made about an assault that left Paul with broken ribs were justified, and accused Mullin of having "anger issues."
- Mullin directly confronted Paul in his opening, accusing him of fighting Republicans more than working with them, defending his prior remarks as criticisms of Paul's "gimmicks" and saying he would not apologize for "pointing out your character."
- Despite his opposition, Paul told another outlet he has agreed to allow an "expeditious vote" on Mullin’s nomination in committee.
4:46 PM
WATCH: Sen. Paul asks DHS nominee Mullin if he believes violence can resolve political differences
New information:
- PBS provides verbatim exchange where Rand Paul asks Mullin if he believes political disputes can be resolved by violence and Mullin responds, “I don't believe in political violence. I've made that very clear.”
- Paul confronts Mullin with his past references to historical ‘precedence’ for resolving political differences through caning and dueling and corrects Mullin’s claim that dueling is still on the books, saying it has been illegal for 170 years.
- The article notes Paul cited Mullin’s prior CNN interview where Mullin said he had “no regrets” about a near-brawl with a witness at a 2023 Senate hearing, sharpening the line of criticism about Mullin’s suitability to model use-of-force limits as DHS chief.
4:15 PM
Trump highlights Border Patrol union's endorsement of Sen Markwayne Mullin to helm DHS
New information:
- President Trump publicly highlighted the National Border Patrol Council’s endorsement of Sen. Markwayne Mullin to be DHS Secretary, reposting the union’s letter and social media support on Truth Social.
- NBPC President Paul Perez sent a March 17, 2026 letter to Senate Homeland Security Committee chair Rand Paul and ranking member Gary Peters, formally endorsing Mullin and urging the committee to 'swiftly' advance his nomination.
- The NBPC amplified its endorsement on X, calling Mullin its choice to lead DHS and praising Trump’s 'tremendously successful leadership' on border issues.
- Kristi Noem told DHS employees in an internal message that her last day as Secretary will be March 31, 2026, and described her new role as Special Envoy for the 'Shield of the Americas' initiative focused on dismantling drug cartels alongside other cabinet officials.
3:29 PM
Paul calls Mullin a "man with anger issues" in confirmation hearing
New information:
- Rand Paul, as committee chair, explicitly labeled Markwayne Mullin a 'man with anger issues' during Mullin’s DHS confirmation hearing.
- Paul recounted his 2017 yard assault in detail at the hearing, described his injuries, and directly accused Mullin of justifying and celebrating that attack in prior comments.
- Mullin responded that he could 'understand' why Paul’s neighbor assaulted him because of Paul's behavior, reiterated calling Paul a 'snake in the grass,' and did not apologize, leading Paul to ask that the record reflect Mullin’s 'lack of contrition.'
- Paul tied Mullin’s 2023 attempt to start a physical fight with Teamsters President Sean O'Brien in a Senate HELP hearing to concerns about whether Mullin can model proper use-of-force limits for 250,000 DHS personnel.
3:11 PM
Sen Rand Paul grills Mullin on past comments on assault: 'Tell it to my face'
New information:
- Rand Paul used his opening statement as committee chair to accuse Markwayne Mullin of excusing the 2017 neighbor assault on Paul and challenged him to repeat those past remarks ‘to my face’.
- Mullin responded by saying that in a prior private conversation he told Paul he could ‘understand’ why Paul’s neighbor did what he did, and acknowledged calling Paul a ‘snake in the grass.’
- Mullin told the committee he is ‘blunt and direct,’ said he can ‘set aside’ personal animosity if Paul will, and pledged as DHS secretary to protect all states, including Kentucky, despite their feud.
11:22 AM
Trump DHS pick Markwayne Mullin will appear before senators for his confirmation hearing
New information:
- Confirms Mullin’s hearing is the first opportunity for lawmakers and the public to hear directly from him about how he plans to run DHS.
- Provides additional White House framing via spokeswoman Abigail Jackson, emphasizing Mullin will focus on 'removing the worst-of-the-worst criminal illegal aliens' in line with Trump’s agenda.
- Includes advance excerpts of opening remarks from Sen. Gary Peters, who says he has 'reservations' about Mullin’s readiness and calls for 'straightforward' reforms to align DHS officers’ conduct with police rules.
- Reiterates and contextualizes that intense enforcement operations in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis — including controversial tactics and two protester shooting deaths in Minneapolis — are a central backdrop for questioning Mullin.
- Stresses that the public mood has soured on mass‑deportation tactics and that Democrats are refusing to fund DHS until conduct reforms are made.
10:00 AM
Markwayne Mullin confirmation hearing set for today
New information:
- CBS specifies that Mullin’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee is set for 9:30 a.m. today and will be live‑streamed.
- The article reports DHS has been shut down for more than a month due to a funding impasse over immigration enforcement operations.
- It adds that hundreds of TSA officers have quit and many are calling out sick as they work without pay, creating significant staffing headaches at U.S. airports.
- CBS notes Democrats attempted unanimous‑consent funding for most DHS agencies (blocked by Republicans), while Republicans pushed a temporary full‑DHS funding bill (blocked by Democrats), detailing the latest failed maneuvers on the Hill.
- The piece emphasizes Mullin is considered on a 'glidepath' to confirmation, with the committee potentially voting as soon as Thursday and Republican leaders expecting some Democratic support.
9:00 AM
Mullin faces Democrat grilling in first hurdle to lead DHS amid shutdown fight
New information:
- Democrats on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee explicitly plan to use the hearing to extract Mullin’s commitments to 'far‑reaching and fundamental' reforms to DHS immigration enforcement.
- Sen. Richard Blumenthal is quoted calling Mullin’s past 'incendiary statements' disqualifying unless he retracts them and warning Mullin should be 'defeated and rejected' if he refuses deep reforms.
- The article underscores Mullin’s 'icy' personal relationship with Committee Chair Sen. Rand Paul, who declined to preview how the hearing will go, saying only, 'Come tomorrow, and you’ll find out more.'
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune says GOP leaders have not formally whipped votes but notes Mullin has 'good, strong relationships' with Democrats and frames the nomination as giving Democrats the leadership change they demanded when Kristi Noem was removed.
- Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat on the committee, is identified as an early public supporter of Mullin’s nomination and says he is in ongoing talks with Mullin about DHS reforms and has a planned pre‑hearing meeting.
- The piece reiterates Trump’s desired timeline: he wants Mullin installed and Noem out by March 31, adding urgency to the confirmation push despite Democratic resistance.
9:00 AM
Markwayne Mullin’s offer on DHS: The same Trump agenda, a new hardline leader
New information:
- Confirms Mullin will face his Senate colleagues in a confirmation hearing on Wednesday in the same type of committee room where former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s tenure began to unravel.
- Details that DHS remains shut down and under scrutiny for two fatal ICE shootings in Minneapolis, which have sparked protests and questions about agency tactics.
- Reports that Mullin publicly defended the January shooting of Renee Good as “justified,” saying, “If you don’t want to be in harm’s way, don’t get in the way of police officers from doing their job.”
- Includes Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s on‑record support for Mullin, with her critique of Noem’s management and her call for “more engagement with the Congress” from DHS leadership.
- Quotes Sens. John Kennedy and Thom Tillis outlining what they want from Mullin on FEMA disaster relief and on Operation Charlotte’s Web, with Tillis saying Mullin should “come clean” about the ICE surge in North Carolina that led to detention of U.S. citizens.
9:00 AM
Sen. Mullin faces confirmation hearing to lead Homeland Security Department
New information:
- NPR confirms the hearing is set to begin at 9:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, and will be before the Senate Homeland Security Committee (with live stream).
- Reports that Kristi Noem becomes the first Cabinet secretary to leave Trump’s second-term administration and has been reassigned as Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, a regional coalition of Latin American countries.
- Details that an immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota led to protests and the deaths of two U.S. citizens, a key factor in Noem’s bipartisan criticism and removal.
- States that over 100,000 DHS employees are currently furloughed or working without pay due to the partial DHS shutdown, including TSA and FEMA workers who are unrelated to immigration enforcement.
- Provides excerpts of prepared opening remarks from Senate Homeland Security Committee ranking Democrat Gary Peters, including his concerns about Mullin’s 'readiness' and his warning that the DHS secretary should not be a 'cable news commentator' in crises.
- Notes that Mullin’s nomination has drawn support from Teamsters president Sean O’Brien, despite Mullin having previously threatened to fight him in a Senate hearing, with O’Brien now calling Mullin willing to 'stand their butt up to protect America.'
- Reiterates Trump’s posted rationale for choosing Mullin, including his pledge that Mullin will 'Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country' and 'MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN.'
8:50 AM
Sen. Markwayne Mullin's secret war zone past
New information:
- Axios reports that Markwayne Mullin has privately told colleagues he did dangerous private security work in Middle East war zones, including Afghanistan, before running for Congress, though there is no public record of such work.
- Multiple former House colleagues say Mullin has described spending extended periods overseas 'protecting our country' in a non-military role, and Mullin himself told a radio show he did 'special assignments outside of DoD' working 'alongside' those under military contract.
- Mullin refused to answer Axios’ questions directly, saying, 'Brother, you know that I can't talk about any questions like this,' while his spokesperson framed his pre‑Congress work as Christian 'mission work' and mentorship for U.S. troops, not confirming the war‑zone security claims.
March 17, 2026
6:02 PM
Trump's security pick Mullin poised to inherit a DHS beset by challenges
New information:
- AP details that Mullin would "walk into" DHS with immigration enforcement at a crossroads, delayed disaster aid angering states, and frustrated travelers facing long TSA lines due to a monthlong funding battle in Congress.
- The article specifies that outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s social‑media‑driven management style contributed to her downfall and that Mullin is expected to follow White House policy priorities while being seen in the Senate more as a de facto spokesman for Trump than a legislator.
- It reports that approval of Trump’s immigration approach has fallen since the start of his second term, with most Americans now saying he has "gone too far," raising pressure on Mullin to recalibrate how mass deportations are carried out.
- Former acting ICE Director John Sandweg is quoted warning Mullin will need to decide whether enforcement focuses on "numbers or quality"—mass arrest sweeps versus more targeted operations—and that he will face internal pressure to keep deportation numbers high.
- Sen. John Kennedy, R‑La., is quoted saying DHS has "serious management problems" and that he told Mullin a full audit of the department is needed.
10:00 AM
Mullin wins backing from China, Cuba hawks — and some Democrats — as critics question fitness to lead DHS
New information:
- Sen. James Lankford, a Homeland Security Committee member from Oklahoma, publicly calls Mullin 'the right man at the right time' and says he expects Mullin to 'turn FEMA around.'
- Rep. Carlos Gimenez, the only Cuban‑born member of Congress and a leading Cuba hawk, strongly endorses Mullin, tying his support to expectations of a 'dramatic transition in Cuba' and saying he trusts Mullin to implement a 'course‑correction' at DHS.
- Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee, says he will vote to confirm Mullin, citing agreement on border security and 'rounding up and deporting criminals' while criticizing Kristi Noem’s Minneapolis operation.
- Democratic Sen. Andy Kim, also on the Homeland Security Committee, goes on record as a hard 'no,' framing Mullin’s confirmation as a referendum on Trump’s immigration enforcement and FEMA performance and saying the administration resists needed reforms.
- Trump has publicly floated the idea that Cuba’s regime could collapse 'pretty soon,' with backers suggesting Mullin is suited to manage DHS during potential upheaval there.
9:00 AM
Wrestler, senator, tribal citizen: Who is Markwayne Mullin, Trump’s pick to lead DHS?
New information:
- Confirms that Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin is President Trump’s nominee to replace fired DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and that his Senate confirmation hearing is set for Wednesday.
- States that DHS has been in a partial shutdown for about five weeks, leaving thousands of employees unpaid while the department faces heightened risks from the Iran war and pressure to execute mass deportations.
- Details Mullin’s background as a former mixed martial arts fighter, collegiate wrestler, rancher, and plumbing company owner, and notes he lacks a formal law-enforcement background, which is typical for DHS secretaries.
- Reports that Trump publicly labeled Mullin a 'MAGA Warrior' and that Mullin responded by praising Trump for having 'the most secure U.S. border in American history' and pledging to 'defend the homeland.'
- Includes on‑the‑record support from GOP Sen. John Boozman, who calls Mullin well liked on both sides of the aisle and predicts he will have little trouble being confirmed.
March 16, 2026
3:00 PM
Trump's mass deportation agenda is at a crossroads as DHS changes leadership
New information:
- Confirms timing and framing of Kristi Noem’s departure and Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s upcoming DHS confirmation hearings as the immediate ‘crossroads’ for Trump’s immigration agenda.
- Reports that the White House political director, at a retreat at Trump’s Florida golf club, urged Republicans to emphasize enforcement against people with criminal records, while the White House press office insists the overall mass‑deportation agenda is unchanged.
- Quotes House Speaker Mike Johnson calling the aggressive deportation sweeps a political “hiccup” and promising a “course correction,” even as operations continue and ramp up.
- Highlights civil‑liberties concerns from the ACLU’s Sarah Mehta, who says the public is now seeing what “mass detention and mass deportation” look like and describes DHS as “really going forward with some of the cruelest policies.”
- Includes pro‑deportation advocate Rosemary Jenks arguing that now is an “opportunity” to increase deportation numbers amid internal GOP talk of backing away from Trump’s campaign‑trail mass deportation promise.