U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) attends a Senate subcommittee on the Justice Department's proposed 2027 budget, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 19, 2026. REUTER/Evelyn Hockstein
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) clashed with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Tuesday during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing over what Van Hollen described as a "pattern" of mistruths from DHS.
Van Hollen challenged Mullin about previous statements former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem made about cases involving Kilmar Abrego-Garcia, an immigrant in Maryland who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador last year, and Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who was shot and killed by immigration agents during a confrontation with Border Patrol agents amid protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this year. Van Hollen claimed there was a "pattern" of untruths offered by the previous DHS administration.
Things got heated when Mullin attempted to refute Van Hollen's claim.
"I do want to say something to you," Mullin said to Van Hollen as his time for questions expired. "We arrest about 1,900 people a day ..."
Van Hollen interrupted Mullin and asked the committee chair, Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL), if she would allow more time for questions so the two could finish their conversation. Mullin continued uninterrupted.
"I was answering what you said was a pattern!" Mullin said. "You made an accusation that there was a pattern ..."
"Mr. Secretary, I went on! There was a pattern," Van Hollen shot back.
Mullin and Van Hollen then got into a heated back-and-forth about the definition of a pattern.
"Let's get out the dictionary!" Van Hollen said amid the crosstalk.