Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Thursday confronted Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., during a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security hearing, telling the Democratic lawmaker she should be "put in your place" after she pressed him on family separations under the Trump administration's immigration policies.

The exchange grew heated when DeLauro questioned Mullin about children separated from their families at the border. She told the secretary that "3,900 children were separated from their families."

Mullin interrupted her questioning, pointing to a separate issue involving unaccompanied minors during the Biden administration. "450,000 kids were lost during the Biden administration and you didn't say a word about it," he said.

"Mr. Secretary, do not interrupt," DeLauro replied while gesturing toward Mullin.

"Don't you point your finger at me," Mullin responded.

"I will point your finger at you," DeLauro shot back.

Mullin then accused the Connecticut Democrat of hypocrisy over her silence on missing minors during Biden's tenure. "You should be as upset about the 450,000 kids that were lost. You didn't say a word about it. For four years you never said a word," he exclaimed.

DeLauro turned to subcommittee chair Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., and asked, "Could you put him in his place first?"

Mullin replied directly: "You should be put in your place."

What the Left Is Saying

Democratic lawmakers and progressive advocates have focused on the family separations that occurred under Trump's second-term immigration enforcement. The Brookings Institution released a report earlier this month finding that more than 145,000 children have had at least one parent detained due to their immigration status during Trump's current term. More than 22,000 children experienced the detention of both parents, according to the study.

DeLauro and other Democrats argue that separating families at the border causes lasting trauma and violates humanitarian principles. They say the administration has not provided adequate documentation about where separated children are placed or how families can be reunified.

Immigration advocacy groups have called for greater transparency from DHS regarding detention facilities and family placement procedures, arguing that parents should have clear information about where their children are being held.

What the Right Is Saying

Mullin and other Trump administration officials point to what they describe as a far larger crisis: hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied minors who entered the country during Biden's presidency without proper tracking. The department has claimed that 450,000 unaccompanied minors went missing under Biden-era policies.

Earlier this month, DHS announced it had located 146,000 of those previously missing minors. "President Trump has made it a point to go find these kids," Mullin said, adding he would "move heaven and hell to go find these kids."

Administration officials argue that their current immigration enforcement prioritizes public safety and legal compliance, and they accuse Democrats of hypocrisy for focusing on the current administration's family detention policies while ignoring what Republicans characterize as a catastrophic failure to track minors under Biden.

ICE has stated it does not separate families, noting instead that parents are asked whether they want to be removed with their children or whether ICE should place children with a safe person designated by the parent.

What the Numbers Show

According to the Brookings Institution report released earlier this month: more than 145,000 children have had at least one parent detained during Trump's second term; more than 22,000 children experienced detention of both parents; and the data covers the period since Trump took office in January 2025.

The Department of Homeland Security has claimed that 450,000 unaccompanied minors went missing during Biden's presidency. Earlier this month, DHS announced it had located 146,000 of those individuals through its Operation Liberty initiative.

DeLauro cited a figure of 3,900 children separated from families under current immigration enforcement. The methodology and sourcing for her figure was not immediately detailed in the hearing record.

The Bottom Line

The confrontation reflects the broader political battle over immigration messaging ahead of midterm elections. Both sides are using data about vulnerable populations—separated children versus missing minors—to accuse the other party of hypocrisy and indifference.

What remains unclear is whether the 3,900 figure cited by DeLauro represents confirmed separations or a different category of family separation cases being tracked differently than the Brookings data on parental detention. The discrepancy in how each side frames immigration enforcement for families underscores ongoing debates about transparency at federal immigration agencies.

The subcommittee hearing continues as lawmakers from both parties have requested additional documentation from DHS regarding its current family detention and placement procedures.