Trump Angers Over ICE Arrest Policy Leak, Targeting DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin

A weekend leadership call among Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials was leaked, revealing guidance that would scale back arrests of undocumented migrants who lack criminal convictions and de-emphasize “collateral arrests.” The wording, according to three sources briefed on the call, left agents uncertain about field implementation. President Donald Trump responded immediately, telling a well-known Fox News correspondent that ICE would continue to arrest anyone in the country illegally, regardless of criminal history. Behind the scenes, Trump directed his anger at Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, according to sources familiar with the incident and a source close to the White House.

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Mullin, a former Oklahoma senator, assumed the DHS portfolio six months ago after Trump dismissed predecessor Kristi Noem. Since taking office, Mullin has publicly affirmed that any person residing in the United States without legal status remains a candidate for removal, while privately expressing concern about agents detaining individuals who are merely present in an area where a raid occurs. Earlier this summer, Trump also rebuked Mullin for a temporary pause on ICE vehicle stops following fatal shootings in Texas and Maine; the pause was later reversed after backlash from the president’s base.

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• ICE custody figures peaked at more than 46,000 in July and rose to around 51,000 in August, setting a new monthly high for the Trump administration.

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• DHS statistics indicate that roughly 70 percent of detainees have no criminal history (Daily Beast).

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• In a campaign ad, Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar cited a July figure that 50 percent of ICE detainees had no criminal record.

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• The White House denied that any new directive was issued, describing the leaked call as a “miscommunication.”

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• Rep. She highlighted the high share of detainees without criminal records as evidence of an overly broad crackdown.

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• Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas complained that recent ICE activity disrupted local communities and businesses, noting a lack of advance notice or coordination with local law-enforcement agencies.

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• “We still have an acting director there and ICE’s mission doesn’t change. Lance is a very good man,” — Markwayne Mullin, homeland security secretary

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DHS officials maintain that no change in ICE policy has been ordered, while multiple sources close to the White House describe the leaked guidance as a shift toward focusing arrests on criminal migrants. The administration has not provided a written directive, leaving the precise scope of any policy adjustment unclear.

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The dispute unfolds weeks before the 2026 midterm elections, a period in which immigration enforcement remains a pivotal issue for both the White House and Republican lawmakers.

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