Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin publicly blasted prominent Democrats for promoting ways for illegal immigrants to avoid Immigration and Customs Enforcement, calling out webinars and guides he says encourage defiance of federal agents while President Trump moved to restore ICE vehicle stops after a brief pause.
Markwayne Mullin has put a bright spotlight on Democratic officials he says are actively helping people evade immigration enforcement, and he did it in blunt, no-nonsense terms. His criticism centers on webinars, flyers, and official guides that, according to him, teach undocumented people how to spot and avoid ICE. The timing mattered: the comments came right after a one-day suspension of ICE vehicle stops that President Trump quickly rescinded.
Trump ordered ICE to resume vehicle stops, arguing the pause would play into criminals’ hands and insisting traffic stops are a vital enforcement tool. Mullin echoed that urgency, saying the department’s top priority is officer safety and removing criminals from the streets. He also pointed to what he called a dramatic spike in attacks on DHS officers during vehicle encounters.
In his remarks, Mullin made specific charges against elected Democrats he named as promoting tactics to thwart ICE. The secretary mentioned Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and California Governor Gavin Newsom as two high-profile examples. He accused them of supporting materials and events that teach people how to avoid arrest in homes, workplaces, and public.
AOC’s office hosted a “Know Your Rights With ICE” webinar that was streamed from the congresswoman’s Facebook page, and she pushed shareable graphics on social channels. She did not participate in the live webinar, but her team distributed posters in English and Spanish and encouraged people to share and study them. The congresswoman also posted: “Our strategic advantage in this moment is our strength in numbers,” without changing the original wording.
“It is time to use it. In nearly every way, we outnumber those who want to abuse their power and keep people in fear. The truth is, they cannot come after us all. That is why they actively USE and create fear: to get us to give up in advance and withdraw from public life without them lifting a finger.” Those exact lines were reproduced in the material her office circulated, and she urged followers to put the posters up in workplaces and near doors.
Mullin also leveled charges at Gov. Gavin Newsom, saying California has published guides and sanctuary rules that show how to recognize ICE, block entry, and resist arrest. Newsom’s administration has advanced various sanctuary measures, including funding for immigrant legal help and restrictions on cooperation with federal enforcement. The state’s “Know Your Rights” materials, published widely in multiple languages, advise people to record interactions and avoid obstructing agents while explaining how to identify federal officers.
Newsom and the state attorney general set up an online channel for Californians to flag what they believe are questionable federal actions, which Mullin criticized as encouraging confrontation with ICE. In response, a Newsom spokesperson pushed back, saying “this wouldn’t be necessary if the Trump Administration actually trained ICE officers on the public’s Constitutional rights and ensured those rights are respected.” That statement stood exactly as released by the governor’s office.
The spokesperson continued: “There is nothing more American than making sure everyone is aware of their rights,” and added, “We follow the law. The Trump Administration should try it — train your agents and stop the deaths.” Those two sentences were given to reporters as the official reply to the DHS criticism, and they frame the state’s approach as focused on civil liberties and oversight.
Beyond AOC and Newsom, Mullin pointed to other Democrats, including Rep. Dan Goldman and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, saying they posted videos and flyers aimed at preparing people for ICE encounters. He warned that evading arrest is unsafe and reiterated the department’s position that undocumented individuals found in the country illegally will be arrested and removed when encountered. The secretary framed the debate as a clash between public safety and what he called deliberate efforts to obstruct federal law enforcement.
In a social media post reshared by the Department of Homeland Security, President Trump wrote: “We must be strong, tough, and smart, and we CANNOT give up one of ICE’s most important and effective Crime fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP!” He added, “The Radical Left Dumocrats would like to see this done, but it won’t happen on my watch. I.C.E. be judicious, fair and smart, and go back and do your very important job.” That declaration underscored the administration’s intent to press forward with enforcement despite Democratic pushback.
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