DHS Secretary Mullin Vows ‘Zero Change’ on Immigration

Immigration enforcement will stay exactly where it is, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said this week, telling reporters there will be "zero change" in deportation policy even after Republicans suffered heavy losses in the midterm elections, according to Fox News.

For families with pending immigration cases, employers who rely on foreign-born workers, and local law enforcement agencies that coordinate with federal officers, the message from Mullin is simple: Monday morning looks the same as it did before voters went to the polls.

What did Mullin actually say?

Mullin's comment, quoted by Fox News, was blunt: "zero change." The secretary did not describe the midterm results as a reason to adjust enforcement priorities, staffing levels, or deportation targets, Fox News reported. That stands in contrast to how some past administrations have responded to election setbacks by recalibrating politically sensitive policy areas.

"Zero change." — DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, on immigration policy after the midterms

The remark was aimed squarely at speculation that a bruising election night for Republicans might soften the administration's approach to removals, according to the Fox News report.

Who is Markwayne Mullin and why does his statement matter?

Mullin now leads the Department of Homeland Security, the Cabinet agency that oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and the rest of the federal immigration enforcement apparatus, Fox News reported. As secretary, Mullin sets the operational tone for how aggressively those agencies pursue removals, a role that puts him at the center of one of the most closely watched policy fights in the country.

His vow carries weight because DHS secretaries, not Congress, control the day-to-day pace of enforcement. Lawmakers can pass new laws or withhold funding, but the secretary decides how existing authority gets used on the ground.

How many people is DHS deporting each day?

Mullin said DHS is removing roughly 3,600 people a day, according to the Fox News report. The figure was offered as evidence that enforcement activity is already running at a high tempo and does not need to change in response to the election.

The number gives families and immigration attorneys a concrete benchmark. If daily removals stay near 3,600, that signals the administration intends to keep deportation flights, detention capacity, and field operations running at their current pace rather than pulling back.

What happened in the midterms that prompted this?

Fox News described the midterm results for Republicans as crushing losses, part of what the outlet, in a related headline, called a "historic midterm massacre" that nonetheless left Senate Majority Leader John Thune in his post after an internal GOP leadership push fizzled. The scale of the losses had fueled questions about whether the party would shift on immigration, one of its signature issues, to try to win back voters before the next election cycle.

Mullin's answer was effectively no. By tying his comment directly to the election, the secretary signaled that DHS views immigration enforcement as a policy area insulated from short-term electoral pressure, at least for now.

What changes for immigrant families, employers and local agencies?

For people currently in deportation proceedings, the practical answer is nothing changes. Cases already in the pipeline will continue to move at the same pace, and the roughly 3,600-a-day removal rate Mullin cited is expected to continue, based on his comments reported by Fox News.

Employers who depend on immigrant labor and local police departments that work with ICE on detainers should not expect new guidance loosening enforcement priorities. Immigration attorneys advising clients on removal proceedings, work permits, or asylum claims should plan around the current rules, not anticipated changes, since Mullin gave no indication that any are coming.

What happens next in Washington?

Congress could still act independently of DHS. Lawmakers from both parties have floated immigration legislation in past sessions, and a Senate under pressure after a rough midterm cycle may face renewed calls to revisit border and interior enforcement policy. But absent new legislation signed into law, Mullin's comment makes clear that DHS itself does not plan to initiate any administrative softening.

Fox News noted that Thune's hold on his Senate leadership post survived an internal rebellion despite the midterm losses, suggesting Republican leadership in the chamber is not moving toward a broader strategic reset in the immediate aftermath of the election. Whether that holds through the next legislative session remains an open question that will depend on how House and Senate Republicans read the midterm results in the weeks ahead.

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