New DHS Chief Reveals Each Deportation Costs U.S. Over $18,000: 'We're Not Slowing Down'

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the federal government spends an average of $18,225 per case to prosecute and deport undocumented immigrants, offering one of the clearest public estimates to date of the cost associated with the administration's enforcement strategy.

Mullin disclosed the figure during an appearance on Fox News, where he linked the cost to legal requirements embedded in the immigration system. "Because of the way the laws are written and the way they can claim asylum, we have to provide the attorney for the individuals... and then we have to pay to deport the individual," he said.

The comments came as the administration continues to prioritize large-scale deportations, a central component of its immigration policy. Mullin indicated that the approach would not change. "We're not slowing down. We're going after the illegals," he said, adding that the government encourages voluntary departures but will continue enforcement when necessary.

"Because if we have to go through the prosecution process, you'll never come back to this country legally, ever," he added.

In the same interview, Mullin reaffirmed the administration's broader stance on immigration, emphasizing that enforcement efforts are aimed at those in the country without legal status. "We want to deport all those individuals who came in illegally," he said, after agreeing with host Laura Ingraham's remark that the U.S. should prioritize "the right kind of immigrants."

According to the Department of Homeland Security, more than 675,000 people were deported during the president's first year back in office, while approximately 2.2 million left the country voluntarily. The scale of those figures has drawn attention to both the logistical and financial dimensions of enforcement.

Additional federal spending has also been directed toward deportation logistics beyond standard removal procedures. A February report by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee found that the administration spent more than $40 million on deportations to third countries, including payments exceeding $32 million to nations such as Rwanda, El Salvador and Equatorial Guinea to accept roughly 300 individuals.

Mullin has framed the costs as a byproduct of due process requirements and existing immigration law, which he said increase the complexity of removals. At the same time, the administration has maintained that enforcement efforts are necessary to uphold federal law and deter unauthorized entry.

Critics, including civil liberties organizations, have argued that the policy reflects a broader strategy aimed at scaling up deportations. "The reality is that this administration's agenda remains unchanged: to deport millions of people and to frighten millions more into hiding," Naureen Shah of the ACLU said in remarks reported by El País earlier this week.

Originally published on Latin Times