Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) will appear before the Senate Homeland Security Committee Wednesday as he seeks confirmation to lead the Department of Homeland Security, becoming the second DHS secretary nominated in this Trump administration.
President Trump announced Mullin’s selection earlier this month after removing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem from the post and naming her Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, a regional coalition of Latin American nations. The leadership change follows a tumultuous period at DHS marked by controversy over immigration enforcement and department oversight.
Recent months saw an immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota that prompted protests and was followed by the deaths of two U.S. citizens, drawing bipartisan criticism of Noem’s handling of the incidents and broader questions about DHS spending, disaster relief management, and oversight. Noem became the first Cabinet secretary to leave the administration in Trump’s second term.
The department is also effectively shut down as Democrats press for reforms to how immigration officers operate. More than 100,000 DHS employees are furloughed or working without pay, including many who are not directly involved in immigration work, such as staff at the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
At the hearing, senators are expected to press Mullin on his response to the recent turmoil, his stance on mass deportations and immigration enforcement, and plans to strengthen internal oversight at DHS. The committee’s top Democrat, Sen. Gary Peters (Mich.), said in prepared remarks that how a Homeland Security secretary handles a crisis sends signals to department personnel, the American public and international partners, and expressed reservations about Mullin’s readiness for the role.
Trump praised Mullin on announcing the nomination, saying Mullin would focus on securing the border, stopping migrant crime and illegal drugs, and making the country safe. Support for Mullin has come from some labor and Republican figures. Sean O’Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, endorsed him, and Sen. Thom Tillis called Mullin a strong pick to restore competence at DHS and prioritize disaster aid distribution, border security and targeting violent illegal immigrants.
Democrats have been critical. Sen. Dick Durbin questioned whether Mullin would perform any better than Noem and said the Senate will exercise its constitutional advice-and-consent role in evaluating the nomination.
Mullin’s financial disclosures are also likely to come up. He has reported frequent trading in individual stocks, including shares of UnitedHealth Group, AutoZone and Intuit, prompting renewed calls from some lawmakers for limits or bans on stock trading by members of Congress to avoid conflicts of interest.
Although Mullin does not sit on the Homeland Security or Judiciary committees, he has publicly defended the administration’s immigration actions over the past year. After an ICE officer shot U.S. citizen Renee Macklin Good, Mullin defended immigration officers as performing a difficult job to keep the nation safe and suggested Good used her car as a weapon. He has echoed the department’s claims of increased threats against ICE agents—claims the department has not publicly corroborated with detailed data—and has supported ending Temporary Protected Status for nationals of certain countries, including Somalia.
The confirmation hearing is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. ET. If the committee advances his nomination, the full Senate could take a final confirmation vote as soon as next week.