Republicans lawmakers are hoping that Sen. Markwayne Mullin will rescue the Department of Homeland Security from tumult they felt under outgoing Secretary Kristi Noem — and looking for assurances of that at his confirmation hearing Wednesday.
While Mullin is widely expected to be confirmed, the hearing will be an opportunity for Republicans to hammer home the need to fund DHS as a partial government shutdown enters its fifth week. It will also be a chance for Democrats to press the Oklahoma Republican on any changes he may push to make with the Trump administration’s sweeping crackdown on unauthorized immigration — an approach that an increasing number of Americans disapprove of.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), whose questions helped accelerate Trump’s ousting of Noem, said he wants Mullin to show his leadership, particularly in contrast to Noem.
“I want to hear what Markwayne’s thoughts are with respect to FEMA. I want to hear what Markwayne’s thoughts are with respect to getting managerial control of the agency,” Kennedy told reporters Tuesday. “I want to hear Markwayne’s thoughts on getting money to those areas of our country that have been struck by disaster.”
Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) said she’s hoping for better communication between DHS and Congress, explaining that under Noem’s leadership, it was difficult to get answers from DHS.
“In general, you couldn’t get a return phone call from the Department of Homeland Security on anything. And that’s never been the case with any other agency,” Lummis told reporters last week. “So that was a surprising faux pas.”
After President Donald Trump said he would nominate the first-term Oklahoma senator, Republicans hailed the move, with some openly saying a change was needed from Noem’s divisive and controversy-filled tenure atop the department.
Mullin already enjoys the support of some of Noem’s biggest GOP critics — including Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who both called for Noem’s departure after immigration officers in Minneapolis shot and killed two American citizens in January.
Murkowski told reporters Tuesday that Mullin is “pretty conservative,” but added that Mullin has a good sense of “the temperature of Congress and what can and cannot happen” and “what people back home are saying.”
But despite his straightforward path to confirmation, Mullin is still likely to come under fire Wednesday.
Questions continue to swirl about Mullin’s investments and businesses, as his wealth has ballooned since entering Congress. He also may have to bury bygones with the chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). At a recent fundraiser, Mullin called Paul a “snake” for opposing a minibus funding bill.
Democrats are also skeptical that Mullin will pursue any significant policy changes at DHS — in particular changes they’ve demanded to release funding such as banning officers’ use of masks in the field and requiring more training. Only one Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.), has committed to voting for Mullin, arguing he’d be a major improvement from Noem.
A number of Democrats are pessimistic that Mullin will handle immigration enforcement differently than Noem given the continued influence of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, who also serves as Trump’s homeland security adviser, over that brief.
“It’s really Stephen Miller that’s calling the shots there,” said Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), who was one of the Democrats who voted to confirm Noem as DHS chief last year but has said he will not vote for Mullin.
“I don’t trust anybody that’s in that role if Stephen Miller’s just going to continue to dictate what happens,” Kim continued.
Mullin, who has never served on committees with direct oversight of DHS, has largely been in lockstep with the White House on immigration enforcement and other national security issues. He has been seen as an important go-between for both chambers of Congress, as well as between Capitol Hill and the White House during policy discussions.
Mullin notably defended ICE agents after the shootings of two American citizens in Minneapolis by immigration officers, saying “these patriots are doing a difficult job.”
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said Mullin will continue the Trump administration’s main objectives at DHS, which have included reversing “Biden’s border crisis” and deporting “countless dangerous criminal illegal aliens.”
“Sen. Mullin is perfectly suited to lead the Department of Homeland Security and work closely with President Trump to continue building on his many successes,” Jackson said.
Ahead of Mullin’s hearing, his boosters are making the case that his experience in the business world will make him an effective manager at the sprawling department, which manages everything from disaster relief, to immigration enforcement, airport security, the Coast Guard and the Secret Service.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), stressed that background, saying Mullin has “led very successful businesses. He’s led athletic teams” and has been a leader already in the Senate GOP caucus.
Paul and Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, both declined to offer their thoughts on Mullin before the hearing. Peters, however, assured reporters last week the Oklahoma Republican would face “robust” questions.
Among those planning to press Mullin on his views on immigration is Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). Blumenthal, who has been at the forefront of pushing for changes at Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol after the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis, told reporters Tuesday he hadn’t yet gotten assurances in private meetings with Mullin that the Oklahoma Republican will enact changes at the agency.
“It left me with a very clear impression that he has failed to realize how important reform is and how absolutely necessary change is in that agency,” Blumenthal said of his meeting with Mullin.
Mullin has only been in the Senate for three years, and even his allies acknowledged that he has some gaps in his relationships, given his short tenure to date.
Lummis said Mullin will need to do some outreach to Democrats who have not worked with the lawmaker yet, but praised his energy.
“He bounces off the walls, just in terms of his physical energy levels. He talks fast, and he’s very articulate. He’s great on TV,” Lummis said, adding that leading DHS “probably takes someone with a fairly high amount of energy.”
