Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Thursday scolded Rep. Rosa DeLauro after the Connecticut Democrat raised concerns about the Trump administration’s immigration policy.

During her line of questioning at a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security hearing, DeLauro told Mullin that “3,900 children were separated from their families.”

Mullin interrupted, stating, “450,000 kids were lost during the Biden administration and you didn’t say a word about it.”

“Mr. Secretary, do not interrupt,” DeLauro replied, while gesturing toward the secretary.

“Don’t you point your finger at me,” he responded.

“I will point my finger at you,” DeLauro added.

Mullin then accused the Connecticut lawmaker of being a “hypocrite.”

“You should be as upset about the 450,000 kids that were lost. You didn’t say a word about it. For four years you never said a word,” Mullin exclaimed.

“Could you put him in his place first?” DeLauro asked Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.), the chair of the subcommittee.

“You should be put in your place,” Mullin replied.

The heated exchange comes as the Trump administration has faced scrutiny over its immigration policy, particularly as it pertains to the separation of children from parents detained by federal immigration authorities.

Under Trump, DHS has repeatedly claimed the Biden administration “lost” children. The 450,000 children refers to the number of unaccompanied children who were placed with sponsors after crossing the border. The Trump administration has claimed those sponsors were “unvetted,” but many children are placed with relatives or seek to contact an adult they already know in the U.S. who can serve as their sponsor.

The first Trump administration was also heavily criticized for separating children from their parents in detention, prompting the Biden administration to start a family reunification task force for the more than 1,000 children who, more than four years later, remained separated as a result of the 2018 policy.

Earlier this month, the Brookings Institution found that more than 145,000 children have had at least one parent detained because of their immigration status during President Trump’s second term. More than 22,000 children have experienced the detention of both parents, per the Brookings report.

“ICE does not separate families. Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates,” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is housed under the Homeland Security Department, told The Hill in a previous statement.

“President Trump has made it a point to go find these kids,” the Homeland Security chief said earlier this month, adding he would “move heaven and hell to go find these kids.”

Rebecca Beitsch contributed.

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