Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin pushed back Friday against Rep. María Elvira Salazar after the Florida Republican released a campaign advertisement criticizing President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement efforts.

Salazar's 30-second ad, which aired starting Thursday in South Florida, directly addressed Trump and claimed that some enforcement actions have gone too far. She cited department data showing that 50 percent of those detained in July had no criminal record and warned that Hispanic voters who supported Trump in 2024 feel betrayed.

Mullin appeared on CNN and dismissed the ad as a political campaign spot. He stressed that the Department of Homeland Security enforces federal immigration laws passed by Congress without picking and choosing which ones to follow. Mullin said there are no quotas set by the White House and that every individual detained entered the country illegally, making them criminals under the law.

"Every one of them was a criminal because they broke our nation's laws when they came across our borders illegally," Mullin stated. He added that the department is not targeting legal immigrants or U.S. citizens who followed the proper process.

President Trump indicated he still supports Salazar's reelection bid despite their disagreement on the issue. Trump noted his strong stance on border security while describing Salazar as a nice person.

Mullin reiterated that legal entrants and naturalized citizens have nothing to fear from enforcement actions focused on those who violated immigration laws.