DHS Secretary Urges Governors to Partner with ICE on Criminal Alien Arrests

OKLAHOMA CITY NewsWK — U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin called on state governors this weekend to strengthen cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, emphasizing that local partnerships are critical to safely removing illegal immigrants convicted of criminal offenses.

According to a report first published by Stateline, Mullin addressed state leaders at the National Governors Association summer meeting in Oklahoma City alongside Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt. Mullin urged local jurisdictions to honor federal detainer requests, which ask local jails and prisons to hold individuals without legal status until federal authorities can take custody following the completion of their criminal sentences.

Mullin emphasized that focusing on individuals with criminal convictions protects local communities while ensuring officer and public safety. “We’re not doing job-site raids. We’re not going to Home Depot and raiding the parking lot. These are individuals that have already been convicted of a crime,” Mullin said, according to Stateline.

Public Safety and Sanctuary Policies

Addressing the risks created by sanctuary policies, federal officials noted that uncooperative local jurisdictions force federal agents to execute arrests in open public spaces rather than controlled detention environments.

“We’re going to arrest them, and then we’re going to arrest them in a public space, which could cause more problems and put our officers at risk, the public at risk, and the person we’re serving the detainer at risk,” Mullin warned governors.

Highlighting Oklahoma as a primary example of effective federal-state coordination, Mullin noted that 76 of the state’s 77 counties actively assist federal authorities before releasing incarcerated individuals. He also noted that federal security grants evaluate whether local jurisdictions maintain active law enforcement partnerships with the federal government.

Record Enforcement Focus

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore acknowledged improved communication between state executives and federal leadership, while raising questions regarding federal security grant allocations. DHS leadership clarified that federal grants are designed by nature to build collaborative public safety partnerships.

Recent figures from Immigration and Customs Enforcement demonstrate an increased focus on detention, with more than 43,000 arrests recorded in June and daily arrests averaging nearly 1,600 in early July. Federal officials reiterated that while lawful naturalization processes remain open, individuals who commit crimes or bypass legal requirements will face firm enforcement of federal immigration laws.