DHS chief fires back at Jayapal’s ‘no threat’ claim: ‘It’s time for you to go home’

BS BULLETIN:

Rep. Pramila Jayapal says a majority of people arrested by DHS this summer posed “absolutely no threat to public safety.”
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin rejected that characterization, saying immigration authorities will continue making arrests.
ICE recorded nearly 51,000 arrests nationwide in August, according to DHS — its highest monthly total on record.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is pushing back on Rep. Pramila Jayapal after the Washington Democrat claimed a majority of people arrested by DHS this summer posed “absolutely no threat to public safety.”

Mullin responded during an appearance on Fox News’ “Saturday in America.”

“If we’re going to have national security in this country, we [need to] know everybody that’s entered this country,” Mullin said.

Once authorities determine someone entered the country illegally, he added, “It’s time for you to go home.”

The clash began with comments Jayapal made during a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing last week.

“For the first time this summer, the majority of people that DHS arrested were people who pose absolutely no threat to public safety,” Jayapal said.

She also said the number of people with criminal convictions arrested by ICE had decreased.

Jayapal argued that DHS is diverting resources from investigations of serious crimes and human trafficking toward street enforcement and traffic stops, making communities less safe.

Jayapal’s office has pointed to ICE data showing that the majority of people being arrested had no criminal convictions or pending criminal charges. Fox News reported that independent analyses of ICE data have also found that the share of arrests involving people without convictions or pending charges increased as overall arrests surged.

Jayapal describes those immigrants as presenting no public-safety threat.

DHS rejects that characterization, saying immigration status and other information — including foreign warrants, gang affiliations, INTERPOL notices or alleged national-security concerns — may not be reflected simply by counting U.S. convictions and pending charges.

Mullin also invoked families whose relatives have been killed by people in the country illegally, arguing those crimes would have been preventable had the offenders not been in the United States.

DHS says ICE arrested nearly 51,000 people nationwide in August, setting a new monthly record.

Mullin framed the dispute as a fundamental disagreement over immigration enforcement.

“When you decide you’re going to break our immigration policies, and you’re going to cut the line, you’re going to step across our southern border, you’re going to step across our northern border,” Mullin said, “We’re still gonna arrest you.”

MY QUICK TAKE:

This argument hinges on two different questions getting mashed together: Does someone have a criminal record — and does DHS have grounds to arrest and remove that person?

Jayapal is pointing to the first. Mullin is answering the second.

With nearly 51,000 ICE arrests in August alone, that distinction is going to matter a lot as Washington fights over exactly who this enforcement surge is sweeping up.