DHS Secretary Mullin's $364B claim leaves Laura Ingraham stunned: '$18,225 per deportation?'
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A striking cost estimate took center stage during a Fox News segment on Thursday, April 16, as DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin outlined the financial scale of mass deportations in the United States.
Speaking with Laura Ingraham, Mullin broke down what it could take to remove millions of undocumented immigrants, placing hard numbers on a politically charged issue.
“$18K PER DEPORTATION”@SecMullinDHS: “It costs about $18,225 per person to deport.”
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) April 16, 2026
“Multiply that by MILLIONS—it’s staggering.”
“Why so high? Asylum claims, attorneys, clogged courts.”
“That’s the system we’re dealing with.” pic.twitter.com/w3jelpWuV1
Markwayne Mullin claims it costs $18,225 per deportation
During the exchange, Ingraham pressed for specifics, asking, “How much does it cost to deport an illegal alien?”
Mullin responded with a precise figure, saying, “$18,225 on average to go through the prosecution to deport individuals.”
He then expanded the calculation to a larger scale, noting that if roughly 20 million undocumented immigrants were processed under that system, the figure comes out to about $364 billion.
Mullin attributed the high cost to legal and logistical requirements embedded in US law.
“Because of the way the laws are written, the way that they can claim asylum, the way that we have to provide the attorney for the individuals and then we have to pay to deport the individual,” he said, pointing to court backlogs and procedural obligations as major cost drivers.
The conversation also touched on enforcement figures under President Donald Trump.
Mullin stated that about 700,000 individuals had been deported, while others left the country with government-facilitated travel.
“THEY KNEW—AND MADE HIM A CITIZEN”@SecMullinDHS: “This individual had a PATTERN—every April, escalating violence.”
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) April 16, 2026
“Law enforcement and the administration KNEW.”
“They didn’t deport him—they NATURALIZED him.”
“And now three innocent people are DEAD.” pic.twitter.com/FtkcI0c6dx
“We gave them a check, paid for the ticket, and then we sent them on,” he explained, adding that such cases are still counted as deportations because authorities initiated the process.
Markwayne Mullin slams Biden administration
Beyond the numbers, Mullin used the discussion to contrast current enforcement with prior immigration policies.
He argued that the system had been strained by earlier decisions, particularly under former President Joe Biden, citing what he described as lapses in enforcement and vetting.
Referencing a violent criminal case, Mullin said authorities had overlooked warning signs.
Mass murder suspect Olaolukitan Adon Abel (26) was arrested Monday after a grisly shooting spree that morning across DeKalb County, Georgia. He has a criminal history—of course.
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) April 14, 2026
Police believe the at least three attacks were random. Investigators followed Abel in his car using… pic.twitter.com/2wn6at1wEk
“Law enforcement knew this and they decided not to just deport him, but they allowed him to become a citizen,” he said, highlighting the incident as part of a concern about immigration oversight.
He also emphasized a pattern of escalating criminal behavior that, according to him, had been ignored.
Mullin was referring to an incident from Georgia where a man from the UK, naturalized under the Biden administration, went on a killing spree, claiming at least two lives.
