'Situation will remain the same': Mark Kelly slams DHS amid new Secretary appointment

Since the Iran conflict began on February 28, President Donald Trump's administration has seen a few personnel changes. Perhaps the most significant of them all was the change of the Secretary of Homeland Security. However, Trump critics do not believe that it will make a difference when it comes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. The immigration enforcement agency falls under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and was recently asked to go to airports to assist TSA workers.

One lawmaker who recently criticized the move is Democratic Senator Mark Kelly. "There may be a new Secretary of Homeland Security, but the situation will remain the same as long as this Administration continues allowing ICE to operate with zero accountability. I voted against Markwayne Mullin because I saw no evidence that would change under his leadership," he said recently. Mullin replaced Kristi Noem, who left the role earlier this month.

On Monday, the Senate voted to confirm Mullin as the new Secretary of Homeland Security. As per a report in NBC News, the decision was made after a 54-45 vote, with Democratic Senators John Fetterman and Martin Heinrich supporting the motion. Mullin's confirmation in the role comes during an uncertain time for the DHS, as the federal body continues to function without funding, resulting in a partial government shutdown. As a consequence, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers are not getting paid, and many have resigned or stopped showing up for work as airports across the country continue to witness chaotic scenes. 

To ease the pressure on TSA workers, President Trump ordered ICE to be stationed at airports. However, Democrats have criticized the move and are instead pushing for a bill to fund the TSA and a few other DHS departments, barring ICE and CBP. They demand strong reforms to the two federal agencies before agreeing on the funding bill. Sending in ICE agents to airports has also invited strong criticism from Democratic lawmakers. "Donald Trump has one playbook, no matter the issue or problem: SEND IN ICE! Trump owns the government shutdown. He's incompetent — pathetic," California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote on X, slamming the President. 

Meanwhile, Kelly not only criticized the appointment of a new Secretary of Homeland Security, but he also slammed the Trump administration on the Iran war, stating that the biggest beneficiary was Russia. "The big winner from Trump's war so far? Russia. Higher oil prices help fund Putin's war machine, and sanctions on Russian oil are being loosened to stabilize markets. Putin has Trump's ear, while the Russians are helping Iran target our troops. That's not a strategy, it's an embarrassment," he wrote on X.