DHS secretary blasts Illinois correctional centers

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is calling out state correctional facilities after he faced questions from an Illinois congresswoman about conditions at Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers.

Illinois U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, questioned Mullin during a homeland security oversight hearing in Washington on Thursday.

“Secretary Mullin, since Donald Trump took office, DHS’ immigration detention system has been plagued by medical neglect, abuse, overcrowding and a historically high death rate,” Underwood said.

Underwood said more detainees died in ICE custody last year than any year before and said the department’s list of deaths has not been updated since April 28.

When Underwood asked Mullin if DHS had specific internal goals or a plan or internal policies to reduce deaths in custody, the two engaged in heated debate.

“Those are dangerous accusations that she’s making, because in the state of Illinois…” Mullin said.

“This is my time,” Underwood said.

“We are not doing a talk over,” the committee chair, U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nevada, said.

“…they’re twice as high to die in a state penitentiary in Illinois than they are in detention centers,” Mullin said.

“You are invited to this committee. This is my time,” Underwood said.

“And you need to be informed about you’re saying,” Mullin said.

“I am informed,” Underwood said.

Later, after Underwood’s time was up, Mullin said ICE has higher medical standards than most U.S. prisons, including correctional centers in Illinois.

“Illinois employs 16 full-time physicians for 29 facilities across the state. We’re one for one. Every detention center has a doctor put on staff,” Mullin said.

The DHS secretary said Illinois has failed in 29 facilities to have adequate medical or dental care.

“They have one doctor per 1,875 detainees. We have one per thousand,” Mullin said.

Mullin said ICE facilities also have nursing assistants that state facilities in Illinois don’t have.

According to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 123 deaths were reported at Illinois state prisons last year.

ICE reported 33 detainee deaths in 2025 and 18 so far in 2026, most recently on April 28.