A Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Tuesday saw tensions rise as Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., confronted Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin over what he described as a ‘pattern’ of abuse in the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) enforcement of immigration laws. The exchange became heated, leading Van Hollen to urge Mullin to ‘calm down.’

Allegations of Abuse

Van Hollen, known for his controversial visit to El Salvador to meet with an illegal immigrant and alleged gang member, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, cited recent DHS-involved shootings, including incidents involving Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis and activists Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota, as evidence of the alleged pattern. Mullin dismissed the claim as an ‘exaggeration,’ arguing that three incidents do not constitute a pattern given the scale of daily operations.

Van Hollen pressed Mullin to commit to sharing evidence from federal officer-involved shootings with Minnesota authorities, expressing distrust in the administration’s ability to conduct independent investigations. Mullin countered by questioning Van Hollen’s selective trust in different administrations.

Constitutional Concerns

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., also challenged Mullin during the hearing, questioning DHS’s compliance with court orders. Murphy cited a federal judge’s claim that DHS had violated nearly 100 orders in Minnesota and criticized the department’s spending on detention centers. Mullin assured the committee that DHS would not break the Constitution or the law but expressed skepticism about the politicization of courts.

Mullin emphasized the department’s commitment to enforcing laws passed by Congress, while Murphy expressed concern over the implications of Mullin’s statements, suggesting that all committee members should be worried about the courts’ rulings and their frequent overturning.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.