Senate Confirms Markwayne Mullin as DHS Chief Despite Democrat Resistance [WATCH]

The U.S. Senate on Monday voted to confirm Markwayne Mullin as the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, approving the nomination by a 54-45 margin in a vote that largely followed party lines.

Two Democrats — Senators John Letterman of Pennsylvania and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico — joined Republicans in supporting the nomination.

Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky was the only Republican to oppose Mullin’s confirmation.

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Paul had previously indicated his opposition, citing remarks Mullin made regarding a 2020 incident in which Paul was assaulted by a neighbor.

President Donald Trump nominated Mullin on March 5 following the reassignment of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Earlier in March, Trump removed Noem from the department and reassigned her to serve as Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas.

In that role, Noem is tasked with leading a regional security initiative focused on the Western Hemisphere.

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Mullin enters the position with more than a decade of experience in Congress.

He has served in the U.S. Senate since January 2023 after being elected in 2022 to succeed Senator Jim Inhofe.

Prior to his Senate tenure, Mullin represented Oklahoma’s Second Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from January 2013 through January 2023.

During his time in the Senate, Mullin has held assignments on several committees, including Appropriations, Armed Services, Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and Indian Affairs.

His committee work has included issues tied to national security, federal spending, and workforce policy.

In prepared remarks submitted to the Senate committee and during his confirmation hearing on March 18, Mullin outlined his approach to leading the Department of Homeland Security.

He identified three primary areas of focus: protecting the homeland for everybody, applying what he described as a commonsense approach to policy, and enforcing laws consistently without choosing which statutes to follow.

Mullin said the department “is bigger than any political party” and indicated that he would work to safeguard families regardless of political views.

He also pointed to the administration’s actions on border security, including efforts to deport violent criminals and place priority on American interests.

As part of his policy approach, Mullin stated that he would require judicial warrants for most property entries conducted by officers, with exceptions when agents are actively pursuing a suspect inside a location.

He also addressed operational priorities within the department, including stabilizing its workforce and responding to funding needs.

Mullin said he plans to address ongoing operational challenges and ensure the department is prepared to respond to threats from adversaries both within the United States and abroad.

His confirmation comes as the Department of Homeland Security continues to oversee border enforcement, immigration operations, and domestic security efforts across multiple agencies.

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