A Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on June 3, 2026, was interrupted by a heated exchange between Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. Van Hollen accused the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of a pattern of abuse in immigration enforcement, referencing recent shootings involving DHS personnel. Mullin countered that the claims were exaggerated, stating, 'When you say there’s a pattern, there’s not a pattern.' Van Hollen insisted that three incidents in a row constituted a pattern, while Mullin argued that the average daily encounters were too high to support that claim.
Van Hollen urged Mullin to share evidence from federal officer-involved shootings with Minnesota authorities, expressing distrust in the administration's commitment to an independent investigation. The exchange escalated, with Van Hollen requesting Mullin to 'calm down.'
Additionally, Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) questioned Mullin about the DHS's compliance with court orders, highlighting a federal judge's findings of nearly 100 violations by DHS in Minnesota. Mullin affirmed the department's commitment to enforcing laws but expressed skepticism about the politicization of the courts.
