Trump’s DHS Chief Offers Wild Justification for ICE Killings
Markwayne Mullin argued it was a necessary sacrifice.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin says fatal shootings by ICE agents are ultimately part and parcel of the greater good.
Mullin, 49, appeared on State of the Union Sunday, and was asked by host Jake Tapper about the wounding of Oscar Belgal in New York on Thursday, who was shot in his car with his 5-year-old son in the back seat.
“We’ve seen a bunch of these incidents where agents go after someone who is behind the wheel of a car. And sometimes it ends with the target winding up dead,” Tapper noted, pointing out the deaths of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Texas and Maine this July.
Jake Tapper noted that when DHS officers go after targets in cars, 'sometimes it ends with the target winding up dead.'
CNN
Asked whether DHS should consider training officers to wait for people to get out of cars to prevent them from potentially weaponizing vehicles, Mullin suggested that speed was the top priority.
“Well, the problem that you continue to have is individuals like this are going to flee. Every time we approach someone it’s fight or flight one hundred percent of the time,” he said.
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
“Because when ICE, HERO, HSI, CDP, when we’re approaching a vehicle, this individual knows they’re going to jail.”
On Thursday in New York, ICE shot a man in his car while his young son sat in the back seat.
Eduardo Munoz/REUTERS
The former Oklahoma senator then reasoned that any fatal shootings committed by ICE were a necessary sacrifice in order to make the streets safe.
“Now, you want to talk about the two individuals that have been shot since I’ve been secretary. Let’s think about the 258 illegals that are in New York City right now that were—that are wanted for murder,” he said.
“Let’s talk about the 258 that are currently in state prison that killed individuals that were illegals, that we got detainers on.
“All 258 of those individuals took an American life, and all 258 deaths were one hundred percent preventable because those illegals shouldn’t be here.”
Mullin suggested that citizens shouldn't be angry at ICE tactics, but at the softness of sanctuary states necessitating the violence.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Mullin raged: “Now, if people are really concerned about about the tactics that are being used, how about the state cooperates with us?”
Kristi Noem’s successor pointed to Tuesday’s alleged stabbing of an NYPD officer, and blamed ICE’s violent tactics on soft regional leadership.
“If anybody should be at outrage, it should be the public to the sanctuary states and sanctuary politicians that continue to release these murderers and thugs back on the streets and put the American people at danger,” he stated.
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Sign in or create an account
Login dialog
Loading comments…