The US Senate on Monday confirmed Markwayne Mullin as the new head of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), an agency grappling with a partial government shutdown as it works to enforce President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Senators voted 54–45 in favour of 48-year-old Republican Mullin, a former wrestler and martial arts fighter who previously served as a senator for Oklahoma.
Mullin replaces Kristi Noem as DHS chief after she was dismissed earlier this month, partly due to her handling of a recent large-scale operation against undocumented migrants in Minnesota during which federal immigration agents fatally shot two protesters who were US citizens.
At his confirmation hearing before the Senate last week, Mullin said one of his aims would be to steer DHS and its high-profile Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency away from constant media attention.
“My goal in six months is that we’re not the lead story every single day,” Mullin said.
“I want to protect the homeland,” he added. “I want to bring peace of mind. I want to restore confidence in the agency.”
Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois expressed scepticism about Mullin’s assurances, stating: “While the problems at DHS are larger than any one person, I remain concerned that Senator Mullin will not rein in ICE abuses.”
“I voted no because I will not support installing another yes-man to enable Donald Trump’s worst instincts.”
Mullin has also indicated openness to requiring judicial warrants for immigration enforcement operations, a potential shift from current policy and a key demand from Democrats in ongoing funding negotiations.
DHS funding has lapsed since 14 February, as Democratic lawmakers seek to introduce reforms to immigration enforcement.
The month-long DHS shutdown has affected other services overseen by the department, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which is responsible for airport security screening.
TSA staff across the country have worked for weeks without pay, with more than 300 resigning since the start of the shutdown, resulting in extended travel delays as airports struggle to screen passengers.
Trump on Sunday announced that ICE agents would be deployed to airports affected by the delays, with his top border adviser Tom Homan confirming the plan to CNN.
Although ICE is part of the Department of Homeland Security, it has continued operations using funds approved by Congress last year.
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