Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is drawing a distinction between the federal judges he says the Trump administration can work with and those he says are "almost impossible" to deal with, singling out judges appointed by President Joe Biden as the administration continues to fight immigration battles in federal court."We find judges, for the most part, honestly, that we can work with in almost every area.But you've got some of the judges that were appointed underneath Obama and definitely, if they're appointed by Biden, they are almost impossible to work with," said Mullin on the sidelines of the RNC Midterm Convention on Thursday.Mullin’s comments come as the Trump administration has repeatedly run into federal judges over its immigration policies, including recent rulings involving birthright citizenship and immigrant visa issuance.
But while those court fights have received significant attention, Mullin offered a broader assessment of the judges he believes are most difficult for DHS to work with, specifically pointing to judges appointed by Biden — and, to a lesser extent, Obama.WHITE HOUSE RIPS ‘ACTIVIST’ BIDEN JUDGE WHO UPENDED TRUMP BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDERFormer US presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden shake hands during the opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, Illinois, on June 18, 2026.(Kent NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty Images)In April, Biden-appointed Judge Brian Murphy blocked the Trump administration from ending temporary protected status for more than 5,000 Ethiopians, while in September, Biden-appointed Judge Deborah Boardman blocked enforcement of Trump’s August executive order limiting birthright citizenship, finding the order likely unconstitutional.Mullin said immigration cases should be "cut and dry," arguing that they ultimately come down to whether an individual entered the country legally and has the proper paperwork.He compared the issue to homeownership, asking whether someone has "the deed of ...