Sen. Markwayne Mullin will appear before his Senate colleagues Wednesday following President Donald Trump’s nomination to replace Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Noem will leave the Department of Homeland Security on March 31. She has faced bipartisan criticism over her handling of two shootings involving immigration enforcement officers in Minnesota that resulted in the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
She also drew criticism for spending $220 million on an ad campaign that featured herself.
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The leadership change at DHS comes amid a department shutdown, as Congress has yet to agree on a spending bill. The lapse has left thousands of employees in DHS agencies — including the Transportation Security Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Secret Service — without paychecks.
Mullin has bipartisan support and appears on track for a relatively smooth confirmation — at least as smooth as possible in today’s political climate. However, Democrats continue to call for significant policy changes on immigration enforcement. Their proposals include requiring ICE agents to operate without masks, showing identification, and avoiding enforcement activities near “sensitive locations” such as hospitals and schools.
Republicans have largely opposed these proposals.
How Mullin responds to Democrats’ demands could influence how much bipartisan support he receives.
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He is also expected to face intense questioning about the future of FEMA. Trump has suggested he would substantially reduce the federal government’s role in responding to natural disasters, a policy Noem supported.
If confirmed, Mullin’s first priority as DHS secretary could be securing enough Democratic backing to fund the third-largest department in the federal government.
