Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin revealed Tuesday that immigration authorities are now deporting an average of 3,600 migrants daily, a sharp increase driven by a shift in enforcement priorities from workplace raids to targeting violent criminals. The announcement, made during an interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, has reignited debates over border security and employer accountability.
Focus on ‘Worst of the Worst’
Mullin emphasized that DHS has redirected resources from worksite enforcement to executing arrest warrants for dangerous individuals. “We’ve changed our priorities from doing job site raids to doing warrant raids, meaning we go into cities and go after the worst of the worst,” he said. The secretary cited murderers, rapists, child predators, and cartel members as primary targets.
Despite the high deportation numbers, Mullin acknowledged a massive backlog in immigration courts, with 3.5 million cases still pending. “There’s a backlog between us being able to have the court system catch up with the amount of arrests we’re having,” he admitted.
Controversy Over Worksite Enforcement
The administration’s de-emphasis on penalizing employers who hire undocumented workers has drawn criticism from immigration hardliners. Former White House border chief Tom Homan has repeatedly called for stricter worksite enforcement, including prosecuting businesses that knowingly employ illegal migrants. “It’s about holding employers accountable so they don’t try employing illegal aliens,” Homan told reporters in October.
Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies argued that audits and financial penalties—rather than high-profile raids—would more effectively deter illegal immigration without sparking public backlash. “You can’t take a picture of it,” he said, advocating for measures like payroll audits and bank restrictions.
Business Pushback and Political Divide
Business groups, however, oppose stricter worksite enforcement, fearing labor shortages and higher wages. Mullin, a former plumbing company owner, has faced scrutiny over his perceived sympathy for employers reliant on migrant labor. Meanwhile, polls show broad public support for deporting criminal migrants, though a majority of Republicans and many Latinos favor removing all undocumented immigrants.
President Trump has echoed Mullin’s focus on violent offenders, suggesting at a recent press conference that some working migrants could eventually gain legal status. “We want to get the worst of the worst, and then we’ll see what happens,” he said.
The debate continues as pro-enforcement activists highlight cases of employers openly relying on undocumented labor, further fueling calls for accountability on both sides of the immigration divide.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2026/11/11/dhs-mullin-claims-3600-daily-worst-of-the-worst-deportations-after-cutting-worksite-visits/