"You should be put in your place": DeLauro, Mullin in heated clash over immigration policy

Fiery words were exchanged between Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Connecticut Democrat Rosa DeLauro during a line of questioning at a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security hearing over the Trump administration’s immigration policy.

“Let’s not forget what was a Trump administration policy initiated by Stephen Miller, which was to let us separate children from their families at the border,” said De Lauro, telling Mullin that “3,900 children were separated from their families.”

Mullin interrupted by saying, “450,000 kids were lost during the Biden administration and you didn’t say a word about it.” 

“Mr. Secretary, do not interrupt,” DeLauro exclaimed, gesturing at Mullin. 

“Don’t you point your finger at me,” he responded. 

“I will point my finger at you,’ DeLauro said.

“You should be as upset about the 450,000 kids that were lost. You didn’t say a word about it. For four years you never said a word,” Mullin said. 

“Could you put him in his place first?” DeLauro asked Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.), the chair of the subcommittee.

“You should be put in your place," Mullin replied.

The exchange is related to the Trump administration's immigration policy, which has faced scrutiny over the alleged separation of children from parents detained by federal immigration authorities. 

Earlier this month, the Brookings Institution said that their analysis "suggests that more than 145,000 U.S. citizen children have likely experienced a parent booked into detention" due to their immigration status during Trump’s second term, with more than 22,000 of those experiencing detention of both their parents.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), under the Homeland Security Department, previously told The Hill in a statement that “ICE does not separate families. Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates.”

Mullin’s comments pertain to his predecessor Kristi Noem’s claim that 450,000 unaccompanied minors went missing during the Biden administration, as outlined in this DHS Inspector General report. 

In a joint press conference on June 11, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said that in many cases, they had been abused, assaulted and exploited while being trafficked across the border by criminal sponsors. DHS also said that it had located 146,000 of these children. 

Christina Park is a reporter for Just the News. Follow her on X for more coverage.