Mullin declares amnesty off the table as Trump signals open door to Democrats

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated Monday that no specific immigration policy changes have been finalized following the recent midterm elections.

The secretary told reporters at a conference in Forest Heights, Maryland, that he and President Donald Trump have not yet discussed concrete policy shifts. He noted that the administration is currently shifting its tone on deportations while expressing willingness to collaborate with Democratic lawmakers.

Mullin emphasized that any future cooperation will not include amnesty for individuals living in the United States without legal status. He described this position as a firm red line that has historically prevented legislative progress. "Amnesty’s never going to be a solution. We’re never gonna allow amnesty to happen. So that’s a full stop," Mullin said.

The secretary said he has received calls from Democrats with whom he previously worked in Congress on bipartisan issues. "I’ve let the president know that those calls are coming in. And the president has said, you know, let’s start working with them and then let’s meet at some point," Mullin explained. He added that this remains the current state of their discussions.

Context for these remarks includes President Trump’s comments in a Sunday interview with 60 Minutes, where he stated his deportation policy was too aggressive for voters. Since the election, the president has elevated Stephen Miller to the role of chief of staff. Miller is known as the primary architect of the administration’s strict enforcement strategy. Mullin called Miller an excellent choice in a social media post last week.

Mullin, who served as both a senator and a house representative before joining the cabinet earlier this year, argued that a bipartisan approach is the only viable method for passing legislation. He specifically mentioned the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, as a potential area for legislative work. He stated that determining how DACA recipients might become legal permanent citizens is a matter for Congress to resolve.

The briefing took place on the sidelines of a conference focused on drones and counter-drone technologies in the Washington, D.C. suburbs.