Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Sunday that 258 illegal aliens wanted for murder are in New York City right now, and that the state's sanctuary policies are what put them there.
"Let's think about the 258 illegals that are in New York City right now that are wanted for murder," Mullin said.
The secretary's remarks came in two videos posted to X by the White House Rapid Response account, and they escalated a fight that has been building since a federal operation in New York.
Mullin names Oscar
At the center of the secretary's account is a suspect he calls Oscar, a man he describes as a gang member with a record stretching back the three years he has been in the country.
"He's got four charges of felony robbery, two charges of felony assault, felony larceny, misdemeanor assault, weapons possession, misdemeanor larceny, possession of stolen property, two felony charges for dangerous drugs, and a strong gang affiliation," Mullin said, reading the record aloud.
Mullin added that Oscar is wanted for possible information on a CBP officer killed by his gang last year.
According to Mullin, Oscar had already fled once before, a month earlier, and knew officers were looking for him. When federal officers approached his vehicle and gave what Mullin called lawful commands, he ran again.
"He knew exactly who we were," Mullin said. "He decided to flee once again like he had done before, and so when someone tries to flee from us, they're making their decisions at that time."
"The truth is, this guy was an awful human being. He was a thug. He was a gang banger, and he had only been in the country for three years, and he had this long in the rap sheet and had been released multiple times by New York State at the same time."
The Bronx stabbing and the detainers
Mullin tied Oscar's case to another episode he said the press ignored: the stabbing of an NYPD officer in the Bronx the week before, in the same area.
"Two with extensive rap sheets that was released by New York back on the streets," Mullin said. "They were also from the Dominican Republic, and not one person covered that."
"I know the mayor didn't go out and give some press conference about it."
Mullin said all three men had detainers placed on them and should have been handed over to federal authorities.
"All three of these thugs, Oscar and the two individuals that stabbed the NYPD officer, all three of those individuals should have been deported years ago, but, of course, the state of New York is a sanctuary state, and this is the kind of criminals that are running the streets."
He said the records show local authorities had custody first: "Oscar had a detainer on him, the two individuals that stabbed the New York PD officer one of them had a detainer on them that means they were locked up before we asked the state, we asked the city, to give them to us and they released them back on the streets."
258 in state prison
Mullin also said 258 illegal aliens are currently in state prison for killings where detainers had been filed, and that every one of those deaths was preventable.
"All of those individuals took an American life and all 258 deaths were 100% preventable because those illegals shouldn't be here."
On the tactics, Mullin put the question back to the state: "Now if people are really concerned about the tactics that are being used, how about the state cooperates with us?"
He closed by pointing the outrage at the politicians who run sanctuary jurisdictions.
"If anybody should be outraged it should be the public to the sanctuary states and the sanctuary politicians that continue to release these murders and thugs back on the streets and put the American people at danger," he said.
