On Monday, March 23 the U.S. Senate confirmed Republican Senator from Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security, succeeding Kristi Noem, by a vote of 54 to 45.
According to the New York Post, the appointment came shortly after a heated Senate hearing last week. During the hearing, Republican Senator Rand Paul questioned Mullin’s temperament, suggesting he might be too hardline for the role. However, the nomination ultimately passed, with most Republicans voting in favor and two Democratic senators, John Fetterman and Martin Heinrich, crossing party lines to support him.
Mullin moved from the House of Representatives to the Senate in 2023, succeeding retiring Senator Jim Inhofe. As Secretary, he will lead a massive department with over 250,000 federal law enforcement personnel.
During the confirmation process, Mullin emphasized seeking a balance between law enforcement and legal procedure. At the hearing, he stated that law enforcement officers would not enter homes or businesses without a judicial search warrant, except when pursuing individuals who have fled into those premises.
Still, most Democrats opposed his nomination, citing gaps in administrative experience and leadership style, and questioned his failure to fully explain a “classified” overseas trip in 2016. Earlier this year, a Minnesota incident in which two Americans were shot and killed by federal immigration officers also fueled Democratic calls to reform the Department of Homeland Security, including limiting officers’ use of masks and revising procedures for obtaining arrest warrants.
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Despite the controversy, Mullin’s relationships in Congress are considered key to his smooth confirmation. He maintains good interactions with both parties and has repaired ties with Sean O’Brien, president of the Teamsters union, who previously had conflicts with him and now calls him a “good friend.” He also mentioned at the hearing that former President Trump assisted with and covered medical costs when Mullin’s son suffered traumatic brain injury, a detail that drew public attention.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed before the vote that he hoped to expedite Mullin’s confirmation process.
No fundamental changes to the department
Meanwhile, White House border czar Tom Homan stated that overall enforcement policy at the Department of Homeland Security would not fundamentally change, though implementation methods are being adjusted. This includes expanding nationwide surveillance, optimizing enforcement strategies, and prioritizing criminals and national security threats. Homan emphasized that enforcement tools would not be weakened and that officers’ risk would not increase.
Homan also revealed that the administration had considered various reform proposals, including separating funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from the Department of Homeland Security’s overall budget, but this proposal was vetoed by Trump. The White House supports providing ICE funding through a budget reconciliation bill.
Sources indicate that Senate leadership tried to propose a compromise plan, but it did not receive presidential support. Trump instead urged Democrats to support the SAVE America Act, which requires voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering and to show valid ID when voting.
Mullin, a former professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, is also a staunch Trump supporter. AFP reports that the 48-year-old Republican senator is a member of the Cherokee Nation and currently the only Native American senator in the U.S. Senate.
According to official Senate records, Mullin grew up on a ranch in Oklahoma. At age 20, he left school due to his father’s illness, took over the family plumbing business, and expanded Mullin Plumbing into a diversified enterprise, while also opening a steakhouse in Stilwell.
Previously, Mullin posted on X thanking the president for the nomination, saying: “President Trump promised during his campaign to restore law and order and quickly built the safest U.S. border in history. I look forward to supporting the president’s mission, protecting the American people, and defending the homeland.”
By Gao Yun
