Airlines Push Back as DHS Secretary Faces Growing MAGA Criticism Over Deportations

Since taking over the Department of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin has struggled to deliver the mass deportation agenda set by the White House, prompting criticism from prominent MAGA voices such as Steve Bannon and Laura Loomer. Airlines, represented by the trade group Airlines for America, have voiced concerns about safety and are actively blocking ICE agents from boarding aircraft, exemplified by Southwest's refusal to allow an arrest on a Dallas flight on July 25.

ICE’s airport arrests, which once averaged up to 36 a day, have now plateaued at numbers comparable to those under former secretary Kristi Noem. One outlet's report indicates that the Transportation Security Administration continues to share passenger manifest data with ICE, but airline resistance is growing. Mullin’s pledge to boost deportations has not translated into higher daily arrests, which remain near 2,000, well below the White House’s 3,000-per-day target.

Critics argue his approach amounts to leniency, while DHS officials insist they are merely applying established policy. The standoff highlights a widening rift between the administration’s immigration goals and the airline industry's operational concerns.