In a heated exchange on the House floor Tuesday, Democratic Rep. Seth Magaziner of Rhode Island tore into Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin over the recent fatal shootings by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Magaziner invoked Mullin's own words from his confirmation hearing, where the secretary vowed to keep the department off the front page.
“When will this madness stop? When he took his position, Secretary Mullin said that his goal was to get the department off the front page of the news,” Magaziner declared, referencing Mullin's March testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. At that hearing, Mullin stated, “My goal in six months is that we’re not in the lead story every single day. My goal is for people to understand we’re out there, we’re protecting them, and we’re working with them.”
But with two fatal incidents in as many weeks, Magaziner raised his voice and waved a newspaper, shouting, “Well, you’re back on the goddamn front page now, with two innocent people gunned down in broad daylight.” The outburst underscored mounting Democratic frustration with Mullin’s leadership and the agency's use of lethal force. The controversy feeds into broader Democratic electoral challenges in Maine, where the shootings have become a political flashpoint.
On Monday, an ICE officer fatally shot a 26-year-old Colombian man in Biddeford, Maine. Department of Homeland Security officials said the officer acted out of fear “for public safety,” but independent Senator Angus King of Maine told the Associated Press that Mullin informed him the man was not the subject of the warrant ICE officers were serving. King and Republican Senator Susan Collins have called for an impartial investigation; Collins noted Monday that the DHS Inspector General’s Boston office has taken over the probe.
The slain man was authorized to work in the U.S. and held a Social Security number, according to the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and Presente! Maine. In a joint statement, the groups said, “A 26-year-old man came to Maine to live and work, and now his family is mourning his death following an incident involving ICE. This is devastating, enraging, and unacceptable. His loved ones deserve answers, and the public deserves a full and transparent account of what happened.”
Just over a week earlier, on July 7, ICE officers in Texas shot and killed 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo as he headed to work. Salgado Araujo had lived in the Houston area for 35 years, was seeking a work permit, and was close to obtaining legal status, according to his family. Relatives also said he had no criminal record. Representative Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) said acting ICE Director David Venturella told her Salgado Araujo was not the intended target of the enforcement operation. ICE claimed he tried to weaponize his car against officers, but other men in the vehicle and a lawyer for the family disputed that account.
The twin shootings have intensified scrutiny of Mullin’s tenure and the broader immigration enforcement approach under the administration. Critics argue the incidents reflect a pattern of excessive force and poor oversight, while supporters maintain that officers face dangerous situations daily. Mullin has previously linked counterterrorism funding to election security demands, a stance that has drawn backlash and further politicized the agency’s role.
As investigations proceed in both states, the political fallout is likely to resonate in upcoming races. The Maine shootings, in particular, have put pressure on local officials and could reshape the state’s Senate dynamics, especially given ongoing Democratic infighting between moderates and progressives. For now, Mullin’s promise to keep DHS out of the headlines has been shattered by two tragedies that have put the agency squarely back in the spotlight.
