Trump's homeland security pick Mullin faces senators' questions

March 18, 2026

President Donald Trump has nominated Senator Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican and former mixed martial arts fighter, to lead the Department of Homeland Security following the dismissal of Kristi Noem. Mullin will face a Senate committee hearing as part of his confirmation process, where he is expected to address questions about immigration enforcement and a funding crisis affecting the agency. Noem was removed after facing intense scrutiny over immigration operations in Minnesota that resulted in the deaths of two US citizens during protests.

Who is affected

Senator Markwayne Mullin (nominee for DHS Secretary)
Kristi Noem (former DHS Secretary, reassigned to new envoy position)
Tom Homan (border tsar who replaced Noem temporarily in Minnesota)
Greg Bovino (former CBP chief who retired)
DHS staff members facing shortages
Airport security staff and airline passengers experiencing long queues
Renee Good and Alex Pretti (two US citizens killed by federal immigration officials)
Undocumented immigrants subject to detention policies
Democratic and Republican lawmakers involved in confirmation and funding negotiations

What action is being taken

Mullin is appearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday at 0930 ET
DHS is straining to tackle a funding impasse
A partial shutdown is ongoing over Democratic demands for reforms
Tom Homan is currently overseeing operations after winding down Minnesota operations

Why it matters

This nomination is significant because DHS oversees critical national security functions including border protection, immigration enforcement, airport security, the Secret Service, and emergency management. The agency is currently facing a crisis on multiple fronts: a funding impasse causing operational disruptions, controversial immigration enforcement tactics that resulted in civilian deaths, and political tensions over Trump's mass deportation policies. Mullin's confirmation would determine the leadership direction of an agency managing some of the administration's most contentious policy priorities while dealing with staff shortages affecting millions of travelers and the broader immigration enforcement apparatus established after 9/11.

What's next

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will vote on whether to proceed with Mullin's confirmation
If approved by committee, the full Senate will vote later this month (requiring a simple majority of 51-49)
Mullin is expected to face questions about Trump's mass deportation policy and how federal agents are handling it

Read full article from source: BBC