By Darlene McCormick Sanchez
Despite resistance from its Republican chair, the Senate Homeland Security Committee voted on March 19 to advance Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s (R-Okla.) nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), moving him closer to confirmation.
Chairman Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who has a history of clashing with his Republican colleague, voted against Mullin’s nomination. However, Mullin won a vote from Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman, clearing the way for a full Senate vote.
The final vote was eight in favor and seven against.
If confirmed, Mullin will replace DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on March 31.
President Donald Trump, while praising Noem, reassigned her as special envoy for the Shield of the Americas, following protests in Minnesota over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations that led to two U.S. citizens’ deaths.
The confirmation of a new DHS leader comes as Congress and the White House debate agency funding, and Democrats criticize its handling of deportations.
During his confirmation hearing on March 18, lawmakers questioned Mullin on immigration enforcement, emergency response, and how he would lead the agency.
Mullin urged Congress to fully fund DHS, saying they were “playing with fire” by withholding money during a conflict with Iran and apparent lone-wolf terrorist attacks that have occurred across the country in recent weeks.
Mullin added later, “I look at this as political theater.” He called it “unconscionable” to let DHS workers go without a paycheck.
Mullin indicated he would take a fresh approach to immigration enforcement by working with local governments and law enforcement.
“I would like to go in there and talk to the mayors, ”he said. “I‘d like to go in there and talk to the sheriffs, talk to the chiefs, say, ’What are your concerns?’”
Pressed by Democrats, Mullin also pledged to restructure FEMA rather than eliminate it.
“We’ll be adequately staffed to respond to our nation’s disasters, but it’s going to take some time to get there because, like I said, people are quitting today because they’re not getting paid for the third time in a year,” he said, highlighting the current lack of funding to FEMA.
The hearing grew contentious when Paul accused Mullin of having “anger issues” and questioned his temperament to lead the department.
Paul accused Mullin of failing to condemn a political violence incident in 2017 that left Paul with broken ribs after his neighbor tackled him on his lawn in his Bowling Green neighborhood. The chairman also played a video showing Mullin at a 2023 hearing, where he urged Teamsters Union President Sean O’Brien to stand up and fight him.
Mullin pointed out that he and O’Brien had settled their differences and that the union boss was in the audience to show his support during the hearing.
The hearing concluded with plans for a classified briefing for Senators, as lawmakers indicated they wanted details on Mullins’ classified overseas travel before moving forward.
Ranking Democratic member Gary Peters (D-Mich.) questioned Mullin about combat-related travel, focusing on a podcast interview where Mullin referenced “special assignments” abroad.
