Voto Latino, joined by dozens of other advocacy organizations, has escalated the political pressure on Capitol Hill by formally calling for the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. In a letter sent last Thursday to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and other key lawmakers, the coalition demanded the immediate introduction of articles of impeachment and a comprehensive congressional investigation into Mullin’s handling of deaths in federal detention, as well as the use of lethal force by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents.
The letter, signed by a broad array of groups describing themselves as “interfaith, human rights, business, immigration, veteran and civil rights leaders,” was also addressed to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and committee chairs including Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), and Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.).
In their appeal, the groups accused Mullin of presiding over a department that “has failed to provide meaningful oversight over the rogue and unchecked pattern of excessive force weaponized against entire communities across the country.” They pointed to a string of deaths while individuals were in ICE custody and described the conditions in detention centers as “deplorable, sub-human.”
The push for impeachment comes amid the Trump administration’s aggressive second-term immigration enforcement agenda, which has sparked widespread backlash. Tensions reached a boiling point earlier this year after two U.S. citizens were killed by federal immigration authorities in Minneapolis, an incident that drew sharp criticism from both civil rights groups and some lawmakers.
Last week, nearly every member of the House Democratic Caucus signed a separate letter requesting an independent investigation into two deadly ICE officer-involved shootings that occurred within a single week. The Democrats demanded “immediate independent investigations into both of these deaths, without interference,” referencing the killings of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston and Joan Guerrero in Maine, both of whom were fatally shot in the past month.
The coalition’s letter also highlights broader concerns about the culture inside DHS, with signatories arguing that Mullin has enabled a pattern of violence and impunity. This latest impeachment call follows a pattern of growing scrutiny of Mullin’s leadership, including a recent report detailing allegations of systematic abuse at the Fort Bliss ICE camp, where detainees were reportedly denied access to legal counsel.
Mullin has also faced criticism for his alignment with President Trump on restarting ICE traffic stops after a brief pause, a move that rights groups argue increases the risk of racial profiling and civil rights violations. The White House has confirmed that Trump and Mullin are aligned on that policy.
The Hill has reached out to the offices of the lawmakers addressed in the letter, as well as DHS, for comment. As of press time, no official response has been issued from the department or from Speaker Johnson’s office.
This impeachment push adds to the mounting political pressure on Mullin, who has already been the subject of sharp rebukes from Democratic lawmakers. Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.) recently slammed Mullin over the ICE shootings, telling him, “You’re back on the front page.”
