Markwayne Mullin was confirmed Department of Homeland Security secretary, placing the Oklahoma senator in charge of a Trump administration immigration crackdown that has triggered a 37-day funding shutdown of the cabinet agency.
The Senate voted 54-45 mostly along party lines Monday to confirm Mullin, a first-term Republican senator and former mixed martial arts fighter who has been a staunch defender of Donald Trump's deportation campaign.
The Oklahoma Republican will assume control of the shuttered department, as Americans contend with the resulting hours-long lines at airports and while Trump's escalating demands have undermined bipartisan efforts to strike a deal to fund the agency.
A furor erupted over DHS's aggressive immigration enforcement tactics after agents killed two US citizen protesters in separate incidents in Minneapolis in January. The department's federal funding has been shut down since mid-February as Democrats insist on restrictions such as requiring agents to stop masking their faces in most situations and judicial warrants rather than internal administrative warrants to enter homes.
‘The right direction'
Still, some lawmakers were optimistic that Mullin's confirmation could help in talks to revive the agency's funding. The Oklahoman signaled in his confirmation hearing that he was willing to consider some changes to the way the Trump administration conducts immigration enforcement.
Senators in the Capitol after the Mullin vote told reporters they were optimistic about the state of discussions over DHS funding, even while being vague about the contours of any potential deal.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters late Monday that recent discussions “have been very positive and productive and hopefully headed in the right direction.”
Senator Peter Welch said “the fact that there's progress is very encouraging.” The Vermont Democrat added the ouster of former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who previously oversaw immigration enforcement and rejected Democratic demands to change course, is a “big deal”.
Trump decided to move Noem into another administration position following a backlash against a nearly quarter billion dollar ad campaign paid for by federal taxpayers that featured her in a starring role. Noem told lawmakers during a congressional hearing that the president personally approved the advertisements, which Trump denied.
Travelers were confronted with long airport security lines in recent days, as most department employees, including airport security screeners, have been forced to work without pay during the prolonged funding impasses. Trump on Monday began deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to airports as a stopgap.
Trump over the weekend increased demands for a deal with Democrats on DHS funding, undermining bipartisan Senate efforts to reach a compromise. The president said any deal to fund the department should include Republicans' SAVE America Act imposing stricter voter ID requirements, along with restrictions on transgender athletes and gender-affirming care for children, which face broad opposition among Democrats.
“I'm suggesting strongly to the Republican Party: don't make any deal on anything,” Trump said on Monday. “The most important thing we can have is what's called the SAVE America Act, don't make any deal on anything unless you include voter ID and you have to be a citizen to vote.”
Mullin Vote
While Mullin pledged to work with both parties, in the end John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico were the only Democrats to support his nomination and Rand Paul of Kentucky was the only Republican to oppose it.
Paul accused Mullin during his confirmation hearing of having anger issues, arguing that rendered him unfit to lead a department under fire for aggressive conduct. Paul blasted Mullin at the hearing for publicly applauding an attack by his neighbor in 2017 that put the Kentucky senator in the hospital, after suffering six broken ribs and a damaged lung.
Mullin defended himself as “blunt” and added, “I simply said I could understand why the neighbor did what he did.”
Paul also cited a 2023 incident in which Mullin challenged Sean O'Brien, general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, to a fight during a Senate hearing. Mullin brought O'Brien to his confirmation hearing as a guest and said the two have reconciled.
ALSO READ: Black Box Recovered From Jet In Deadly LaGuardia Crash Probe
Fetterman said in a social media post last week that his support for Mullin “is rooted in a strong committed, constructive working relationship” that is focused on the nation's security. Heinrich in a statement Sunday called Mullin a friend and someone he could work with at the department. The New Mexico Democrat also commended Mullin's commitment at his confirmation hearing to requiring judicial warrants for ICE agents to enter private property, unless actively pursuing someone.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.