Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin criticized Republican congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar’s campaign advertisement that argues against aggressive immigration enforcement, calling it misleading. In the ad, Salazar cited DHS data showing half of those detained in July had no criminal convictions or pending charges. However, Mullin told CNN on Friday that everyone who enters the country illegally is a criminal because they break U.S. laws. He emphasized that his department will continue enforcing existing immigration policies without exception.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) released a 30-second ad on Thursday criticizing the administration's aggressive immigration enforcement, arguing it has gone too far and that Hispanic voters feel betrayed by President Donald Trump’s hard-line stance on immigration. The ad cited Department of Homeland Security data showing that half of the 50,000 people detained in July had no criminal convictions or pending charges.
In response to Salazar's criticism, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin appeared on CNN’s Inside Politics with Dana Bash and denied the validity of her claim. Mullin insisted every immigrant caught crossing illegally is a criminal because they break U.S. laws. He also questioned what level of criminal activity supporters would accept, emphasizing that his department does not pick and choose whom to enforce immigration laws against.
The disagreement highlights tensions within the Republican party over immigration enforcement policies, particularly regarding how to balance strict enforcement with the need for more lenient approaches toward non-criminal immigrants.
Written for “Immigration Debate Heats Up” on 2026-10-04,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is not bothered by Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar’s (R-FL) campaign advertisement against aggressive immigration enforcement because his department is focused on catching and deporting illegal immigrants.
asserted
department → bother → immigrants
In the 30-second ad released Thursday, the pro-immigration Republican lawmaker declared the administration’s “immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far” and argued that Hispanic voters who backed President Donald Trump in 2024 “feel betrayed today” by his hard-line stance on immigration.
asserted
who → release → immigration
Salazar cited the Department of Homeland Security’s own data showing that 50% of the 50,000 people detained in July had no criminal convictions or pending charges.
asserted
% → cite → convictions
The DHS chief maintained that the point was false or, at least, misrepresented.
asserted
point → maintain → ?
“I’ll say that’s actually not true,” Mullin said on CNN’s Inside Politics with Dana Bash on Friday.
asserted
Mullin → say → Friday
“Every one of them was criminals because they broke our nation’s laws when they came across our borders illegally.”
asserted
they → break → borders
“What level of criminal activity are you willing to accept?
asserted
you → accept → activity
We are tasked with enforcing the nation’s laws,” he added.
asserted
he → task → laws
“I can’t repeat this enough.
asserted
I → repeat → this
We don’t pick and choose.
asserted
We → pick → ?
The Congress is the one who set those laws.
asserted
who → set → laws
We are enforcing them.
asserted
We → enforce → them
And when you broke the law, and you came to this country illegally, you chose to become a criminal at that point.
asserted
you → break → point
Regardless if you consider a criminal being a pedophile or not, a criminal is a criminal.”
asserted
criminal → consider → ?
Mullin’s response to Salazar comes as Immigration and Customs Enforcement continues executing the administration’s mass deportation agenda.
asserted
Immigration → come → agenda
Unlike the Florida Republican, Trump said ICE operations “haven’t gone far enough” in an interview with CBS News’s 60 Minutes last year.
asserted
operations → say → Minutes
Salazar says she does not support amnesty, a policy that allows illegal immigrants to obtain legal status or permanent residency, but she does support long-term illegal immigrants applying for legal status while supporting tighter border security.
asserted
immigrants → say → security
Mullin believes anyone who has crossed the border illegally should not be let off the hook.
asserted
who → believe → hook
“Every single person that chose to step over our northern or southern border and cut the line of our true immigration policy, they chose to break our nation’s laws,” Mullin said.
asserted
Mullin → choose → laws
“Regardless, if it was 20 years ago, 30 years ago, or four years ago, you still chose to break the law.
asserted
you → choose → law
I completely understand it, but that’s not going to keep us and the men and women at the Department of Homeland Security from doing our job.”
asserted
that → understand → job
Salazar, a U.S. citizen born to Cuban parents, is running for a fourth term in Florida’s 27th Congressional District and will face former CBS News Miami anchor Eliott Rodriguez in the general election.
asserted
Salazar → bear → election
The incumbent easily won her primary last month in a red-leaning district that Trump carried by 14 percentage points in 2024.
asserted
Trump → win → 2024
After watching the ad, Trump said he disagreed with Salazar but noted he is still endorsing her reelection bid.
“I’m very strong on the border, and she isn’t,” the president said.
asserted
president → watch → border
“I understand what she’s saying.
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she → understand → what
I won because of my border.
asserted
I → win → border
Maria won [her race] only because of me.
asserted
Maria → win → me
She got a little soft on the border.”
asserted
She → get → border
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