WASHINGTON—Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin walked into a firestorm Saturday after telling the National Governors Association summer meeting that the United States needs "more permanent solutions" for work visas—including additional permanent work permits over temporary ones to address labor shortages in industries like dairy farming, which he described as having shifted from seasonal to year-round work.
The speech drew immediate condemnation from figures central to President Trump's political coalition. Steve Bannon called Mullin "the wrong guy at the wrong time for the wrong job," telling Politico that at a moment requiring focus on mass deportations, the administration "got an amnesty advocate." Bannon added that the MAGA base wants Trump to appoint Bill Pulte—the outgoing interim director of national intelligence—as DHS secretary instead.
Right-wing podcaster Jack Posobiec said "there is a growing wave among MAGA to find a DHS secretary who puts deportations first." Conservative activist Robby Starbuck wrote that "the weakness he projects is disturbing." Former border patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino called Mullin's remarks "a masterclass in how to give terrible answers." Laura Loomer called for Mullin's firing, writing she is "so fed up."
Commentator Tomi Lahren accused Mullin of trying to "appease liberal media and big labor." Right-wing influencer Nick Sortor called him a "JOKE" and described his comments as "INFURIATING." Six named public figures from Trump's base attacked the same cabinet secretary in less than 48 hours—a rare concentration of pressure from within the president's own coalition.
Mullin attempted to contain the damage by posting on X: "NO amnesty for illegal aliens. Ever." That clarification did not stop the criticism. In a separate interview, Mullin said, "Is immigration reform possible? No. Do you really need immigration reform? Yes, you do, but can we work with the system we have? Yes."
The White House held its position. Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said "the president has confidence in Secretary Mullin and his entire Administration to carry out the agenda the American people voted for." A DHS spokesperson pointed to deportation statistics as justification for Mullin's tenure, saying arrests, self-deportations and deportations are at record levels under his leadership—though no specific figures were provided.
A separate development added friction. Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro revealed last week that he and Mullin had "worked together discreetly" on DHS plans to build two immigration detention centers in his state. Shapiro then announced DHS reversed course and canceled plans to convert two warehouses into ICE facilities. Mullin acknowledged the relationship, telling Politico he and Shapiro "have a real good relationship"—a statement that critics inside MAGA read as further evidence of misplaced priorities.
Mullin did not come to the job through a traditional confirmation track for a cabinet-level immigration chief. Trump fired his first DHS secretary, Kristi Noem, in March after criticism of her leadership style compounded by two fatal ICE shootings in Minnesota that generated political backlash. Mullin, then serving as U.S. senator from Oklahoma, resigned his Senate seat to take the DHS role. He has been in the job only a matter of months.
The Bannon call for Pulte is notable for its specificity. Pulte, who ran the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on an interim basis, has no public record in immigration enforcement. His appeal to Bannon appears rooted in perceived ideological reliability rather than operational background. Whether Trump acts on that pressure is the question the White House has not answered.
Mullin's position is complicated by the fact that his critics are not marginal. Bannon, Loomer, Posobiec and Lahren collectively reach tens of millions of followers across podcasts, social media and broadcast. When that bloc moves against a cabinet official, it raises the political cost of keeping that official in place—as the Noem episode demonstrated. Noem's removal came after a sustained period of exactly this kind of public pressure from the same community.
The immigration debate inside the administration reflects a genuine tension. Business groups, agricultural employers and some Republican governors have pushed for expanded labor pipelines to address worker shortages. Hard-line immigration advocates inside the MAGA coalition oppose any expansion of legal immigration pathways, treating them as indistinguishable from amnesty. Mullin stepped into that gap at the governors meeting and found no middle ground waiting for him.
Trump has not spoken publicly about Mullin's remarks. The White House statement of support is the only official administration response on record.
