Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told Newsmax on Tuesday that congressional Democrats threatening to withhold funding for the Department of Homeland Security are putting far more at risk than immigration enforcement.
Speaking on "Rob Schmitt Tonight," Mullin said DHS plays a critical role well beyond arresting and deporting illegal aliens, and defunding the agency would have sweeping consequences for Americans' safety.
"If we defund the Department of Homeland Security, they do a lot more than arrest illegals," Mullin said. "You walk through the airport — they're providing security."
Mullin emphasized that DHS is responsible for protecting the country from a wide range of threats, including terrorism, both within the United States and overseas.
He said the agency operates with a "forward approach," not only at the southern border but also internationally, to stop threats before they reach American soil.
"The Department of Homeland Security is there for a reason," Mullin said. "They protect us from threats at home and abroad — around the United States and across the world."
Mullin questioned what Democrats mean when they call to defund DHS, suggesting such rhetoric ignores the agency's role in combating terrorism and enforcing laws passed by Congress itself.
"When they say defund DHS, are they saying they want to defund our security threats that we are actively fighting against with terrorism?" Mullin asked.
"Our federal agents are simply enforcing the laws — by the way — that Democrats helped pass," he continued.
The Oklahoma senator also pushed back on Democratic criticism of immigration enforcement, pointing out that Democrats had full control of Washington for two years during President Joe Biden's administration from 2021 to 2023 and failed to advance any meaningful immigration reforms.
"If the Democrats didn't like our immigration policy, they could have changed it under Biden," Mullin said. "Nancy Pelosi was in charge of the House, Chuck Schumer was in charge of the Senate, and Biden was in the White House."
He added, "They didn't propose one single immigration policy other than opening our borders wide open."
Mullin said Democrats' resistance to enforcing immigration laws raises questions about their priorities.
"When Democrats don't want to enforce our nation's laws, I scratch my head and go, 'What are you fighting for?'" Mullin said. "Do you really want to put us into one of those countries that these people left?"
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