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President Donald Trump issued a direct warning regarding immigration during the swearing-in of the new Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin: deportations will intensify and be immediate for migrants with criminal records.
Amid an unprecedented internal crisis in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Trump seized the ceremony at the White House to toughen his rhetoric and set the direction he expects from his new appointee.
"Any illegal migrant with a criminal record must be deported immediately," stated the leader, emphasizing that his administration will continue with what he described as "record efforts" to expel individuals deemed dangerous.
The message arrives at a particularly sensitive time. Mullin takes office as the DHS has been unfunded since February, with thousands of employees working without pay, collapsed airports, and a immigration system under intense political and operational pressure.
Trump insisted that the priority will be to remove from the country those who represent a threat. He stated that his administration has already been deporting at "record levels," although he acknowledged that there is still "much to be done."
The president also linked the immigration issue to national security, asserting that during the previous administration, criminals, gang members, and individuals from prisons or psychiatric institutions entered the country, a narrative that has been central to his political discourse.
In that context, he introduced Mullin as the man responsible for reinforcing that hardline. He described him as a key ally in the efforts to secure the border, combat immigration crime, and curb drug trafficking.
The new secretary, for his part, tried to project a more institutional tone after being sworn into office. He stated that his mission will be “to protect everyone equally,” regardless of political affiliations, and promised to work tirelessly alongside the DHS employees, many of whom have gone weeks without pay.
However, the contrast between both messages reflects the situation at hand: on one side, an operational crisis affecting hundreds of thousands of workers and travelers; on the other, political pressure to further tighten immigration measures.
For migrants —including thousands of Cubans awaiting processes or in irregular situations— Trump's words do not go unnoticed. The emphasis on immediate deportations, particularly for those with prior offenses, adds a new level of uncertainty to an already saturated and constantly changing system.
The direction Mullin takes in the coming weeks will be crucial. However, the presidential message has made it clear that, at least from the White House, the priority remains a more aggressive immigration policy with less room for delay.
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