Trump Tells DHS To Talk With Democrats On Immigration, Rejects Amnesty
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Monday that former President Donald Trump has directed him to begin talks with Democrats on immigration reform, while ruling out any deal that includes what he called "amnesty," in remarks at a security conference in Maryland.[1]
Mullin told attendees that Trump wants him to meet with Democratic lawmakers later to explore possible legislation and areas of compromise, but said there has been "zero discussion" with Trump about easing enforcement and declared, "We're never going to allow amnesty to happen."[1] He added that Congress could consider a legislative pathway to permanent legal status specifically for people enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, marking his first public acknowledgment of that option.[1]
Mullin's comments come after months of signals from the Department of Homeland Security that it would maintain a hard line on existing law while distancing itself from the idea that DACA protections amount to legal status. In March 2026, DHS publicly stressed that DACA does not itself confer legal status and noted that 264 DACA recipients had been arrested between January 20 and September 28, 2025, figures the department used to underscore its argument that the program is not an open-ended shield from enforcement. That framing reinforced Trump's long-standing opposition to broad legalization, even as Republicans and Democrats have intermittently discussed limited protections for "Dreamers" as part of wider immigration negotiations.
The new directive to talk with Democrats suggests Trump is open to another attempt at a bipartisan immigration package built around enforcement and border security, with a narrow DACA component as one possible bargaining chip, while preserving a red line against any broader legalization he can label "amnesty." Mullin's language leaves unclear how far the administration would go in backing a DACA bill, how it would define "amnesty" in legislative terms, and what concessions it would demand in return, but it positions DHS as the front-line agency for mapping out what kind of immigration overhaul, if any, could get through a closely divided Congress.
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📌 Key Facts
- On November 9, 2026, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Trump instructed him to start working with Democrats on immigration reform and to meet with them later.
- Mullin said there has been no discussion with Trump about changing immigration enforcement policy and stated, "We're never going to allow amnesty to happen."
- Mullin indicated Congress could consider a legislative pathway to permanent legal status for DACA recipients, his first public acknowledgment of that option.
- The remarks were made at a counter-drone conference in Maryland and reported the same day.
- Earlier in March 2026, DHS publicly stressed that DACA does not confer legal status and noted 264 DACA recipients had been arrested between January 20 and September 28, 2025.
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