DHS chief fires back at Jayapal over claim majority of immigration arrests pose 'no threat'

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin pushed back on Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s, D-Wash., claim that the “majority of people” arrested by DHS pose “absolutely no threat to public safety.”

Mullin rejected Jayapal’s characterization on “Saturday in America,” saying DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) remain committed to targeting high-risk individuals to keep American communities safe and arguing that crimes committed by illegal immigrants have led to tragedy.

“If we’re going to have national security in this country, we [need to] know everybody that’s entered this country. And so, I’m not going to release you back into the public once we know that you entered this country legally,” Mullin said. “It’s time for you to go home.”

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Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin called Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s, D-Wash., comments about immigration enforcement “political.” (Left (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images), Right (Win McNamee/Getty Images))

“All the angel families that lost their loved ones at the hands of an illegal is 100% preventable, because that illegal shouldn’t be in our country to begin with,” the DHS boss added.

Jayapal, the ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement and a vocal ICE critic, argued that immigration enforcement under the Trump administration has targeted immigrants without criminal convictions.

“For the first time this summer, the majority of people that DHS arrested were people who pose absolutely no threat to public safety, and the number of people with criminal convictions who are arrested by ICE actually decreased — decreased, not increased,” Jayapal said during a hearing last week.

“That’s because when DHS expends all of its energy to go after parents, longtime friends, neighbors, when [Homeland Security Investigations] agents who are supposed to investigate serious crime and human trafficking are instead being moved to street sweeps and riding along with local police for random traffic stops, we are less safe, not more safe,” she added.

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ICE arrested nearly 51,000 illegal immigrants nationwide in August, marking the highest monthly total on record, according to DHS. The department also says ICE has deported more than 2,000 known or suspected terrorists since Trump took office.

“When you have a car accident, and you came… into this country legally, and the Democrats want to say, you’re not a criminal and you kill somebody. Yes, you were a criminal and now… you ruined somebody else’s life, and now you’re a murderer at the same time,” the DHS chief said.

“It’s political for them. They want to say this every day,” he added.

DHS regularly publicizes arrests and deportations involving illegal immigrants convicted of crimes including murder, child pornography, sexual assault and drug trafficking.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents walk down a street during a multi-agency targeted enforcement operation in Chicago, Ill., on Jan. 26. (Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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“When you decide you’re going to break our immigration policies, and you’re going to cut the line, you’re going to step across our southern border, you’re going to step across our northern border. You’re still a criminal. We’re still gonna arrest you,” the DHS chief said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Jayapal’s office for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Fox News’ Sophia Compton contributed to this report.