Markwayne Mullin to become the next secretary of DHS amid funding blockade
The U.S. Senate on Monday voted to confirm Markwayne Mullin as the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security amid a partial government shutdown that blocked the department's funding, dragging into its sixth week. The Oklahoma Republican will replace Kristi Noem and take charge of immigration enforcement, one of President Donald Trump's biggest priorities. However, his first task will be to see the department through the shutdown that has left over 100,000 DHS workers on the job without pay.
Mullin won the confirmation in a 54-45 vote to become the second secretary to lead the department during the current administration. President Trump nominated the senator to take over the department after the firing of Noem during a public backlash over mismanagement of immigration enforcement and mass deportation operations, CBC reported. Mullin, a former Mixed Martial Arts fighter, is known for his close friendship with Trump, and he presented himself as a steady hand at a crucial time for the agency, saying that his goal would be to take the department off the front page of the news, as per NPR. His appointment comes at a difficult time as thousands of unpaid TSA workers have called out, causing major air travel disruption. While the president ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to help with airport security, the DHS budget standoff in Congress has no end in sight.
The issues came up during the confirmation hearing, with many questioning Mullin's character and temperament to handle the department. While Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., supported his confirmation, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., the chairman of the panel overseeing DHS, voted against Mullin. At the hearing last week, Paul alleged Mullin had "anger issues," and he could not be a good example for ICE and Border Patrol agents, referring to an incident where Mullin threatened to brawl with Teamsters President Sean O’Brien three years ago, NBC News reported. Another top Democrat, Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), also rejected Mullin for lacking “the experience or the temperament” for the post and alleged he wasn't “forthright and transparent” about a 2016 “classified” trip abroad that he took while serving in the House.
However, Mullin's close working relationships with both Republicans and Democrats, as well as O’Brien, whom he referred to as a “good friend,” reconciling after a tense 2023 confrontation, helped him secure the confirmation. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) expressed before the vote that he has a “constructive working relationship” with Mullin and looked forward to discussing issues and working together for his border state of New Mexico, in a statement.
Throughout his tenure in the Senate, Mullin served as a key figure to bridge the gaps between the House and Senate Republican Conferences, given his relationship with both chambers. Still, his new position will test his influence in the Senate as lawmakers scramble to end the DHS shutdown. With the Democrats demanding stricter restrictions on immigration enforcement operations, it is unlikely that Mullin's confirmation will unlock a deal. The opposition has stated they won't clear the 60-vote threshold to pass the funding bill until the administration enforces ICE and Border Patrol agents to remove masks, wear identification and body cameras, and require judicial warrants to conduct raids on private property, according to NBC.
