Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, Secretary Markwayne Mullin refused to commit to complying with federal court orders.
During a tense Senate Appropriations hearing Tuesday, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, pressed Mullin four times to confirm DHS would follow court directives to halt illegal or unconstitutional conduct.
But Mullin repeatedly declined, "I will never break the Constitution," Mullin repeated.
"We're going to enforce the law."
Murphy countered, saying federal courts determine whether agencies obey the law, warning the committee: "If you're a Republican or Democrat on this committee, you should be really, really freaked out."
Mullin's stance echoes documented mass noncompliance by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, under his predecessor, Kristi Noem.
Republican-appointed Judge Patrick Schiltz found ICE violated 96 court orders in a single month, according to NPR, stating, "ICE is not a law unto itself."
Murphy cited that ruling directly at Mullin.
Confirmed in March with 54-45 votes, Mullin replaced former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and pledged a softer enforcement approach at his confirmation hearing.
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