Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin blamed Gov. Gavin Newsom's policies for creating conditions that, he said, may have allowed alleged Chinese infiltration after federal prosecutors charged former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang with acting as an agent of the Chinese government. Wang has agreed to plead guilty to a felony count and faces up to 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 fine. Mullin warned that sanctuary policies and "political theater" invite foreign adversaries, and he expressed hope the upcoming Trump–Xi summit will address threats to Taiwan and nuclear escalation.
DHS Secretary Mullin Blames Gov. Newsom After Former Arcadia Mayor Charged With Acting for China
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin commented on the federal investigation into former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang, who has been charged with illegally acting for the Chinese government.(Getty Images)
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Tuesday blamed California Gov. Gavin Newsom's policies for creating vulnerabilities that, he said, enabled alleged Chinese infiltration of the state. Mullin made the remarks during an appearance on Fox News' The Story following a Justice Department announcement about a charged California mayor.
Federal prosecutors say former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang was charged with acting as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China and has resigned from her post. According to the Department of Justice, Wang promoted pro-China messaging from 2020 to 2022 prior to taking office. She has agreed to plead guilty to a felony count, admitted she acted "at the direction and control" of the Chinese government, and faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a potential $250,000 fine.
Former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang resigned after being federally charged with acting as an illegal agent for the People’s Republic of China, according to the DOJ.
"[Newsom] does the bidding for the extreme left, and he's more interested in taking care of the criminals on the streets than taking care of the constituents on his actual streets," Mullin told Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum. "You expect this kind of stuff to happen. It's shameful. It should never happen, but unfortunately, in this case, it looks like it did."
Mullin argued that California’s sanctuary policies, together with what he called Democrats' "political theater," create openings that foreign adversaries can exploit. "They feel like there is an open-door invitation in these sanctuary cities, and it's not just China. This is North Korea, this is Russia," he said, warning that adversaries are using perceived political weaknesses to infiltrate communities.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Gov. Newsom and his office for comment. The DOJ's charges and Wang's pending guilty plea have raised concerns among federal officials about the national-security implications of foreign influence at local levels of government.
President Donald Trump is expected to press Chinese President Xi Jinping on China’s economic and strategic support for both Iran and Russia, including oil revenue, dual-use components and potential weapons transfers, according to senior administration officials.
Mullin's comments come as President Donald Trump prepares to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at a high-stakes summit in China later this week. Speaking about the upcoming meeting, Mullin expressed hope it could produce positive outcomes on sensitive issues, including the security of Taiwan and efforts to limit nuclear-arms escalation.
"Hopefully we can prevent China from going into Taiwan in 2027, like they have repeatedly said they were going to do. Hopefully we can keep this nuclear arms build-up from getting out of control," he said. "China hasn't always been a great partner, but with President Trump, maybe we can get back on solid ground..."
The case highlights growing scrutiny of foreign influence in local government and the broader debate over immigration, sanctuary policies and national security.
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