The Senate installs a new DHS secretary while negotiations over funding and enforcement changes remain stalled.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Senate approved the nomination of Oklahoma Republican Markwayne Mullin to serve as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on Monday, placing new leadership at the agency as a partial shutdown entered its 38th day.
The vote occurred as the administration directed Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel to assist with airport security operations, supplementing a Transportation Security Administration workforce that continues to report for duty without pay. Despite renewed bipartisan engagement in recent days, lawmakers have not reached agreement on Democratic demands tied to enforcement policy changes within DHS.
Mullin was confirmed by a 54-45 margin, with Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico voting in favor alongside Republicans. Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul joined Democrats in opposition.
Ahead of the vote, Senate Majority Leader John Thune described Mullin’s transition from the legislative branch to the Cabinet, stating on the Senate floor that “I’ve depended on Markwayne as a colleague and friend during his 3 years here in the United States Senate. And I’m profoundly sorry to lose him, but the Senate’s loss is the Department of Homeland Security’s gain,” Thune said. “I want to thank Markwayne for his service here in the Senate and wish him the very best as he continues to serve our country at DHS. And I hope whoever gets assigned to his security detail is ready to keep up.”
During his confirmation process, Mullin addressed several issues raised by Democrats, including adherence to legal requirements governing federal law enforcement conduct. He stated that agents would comply with rules requiring judicial authorization before entering private residences and indicated limits on operations at locations such as polling sites. He also noted that those constraints would not apply during active threats or when pursuing a suspect.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso said Mullin’s approach reflected a defined operational direction for the agency. “[Mullin] will bring the same focus, urgency, and consistency to lead the Department of Homeland Security,” Barrasso said. “At his confirmation hearing, Markwayne laid out a clear vision. He said, ‘My goal is for people to understand we’re out there, we’re protecting them, and we’re working for them.’ That’s exactly what he should do – and will do.”
Negotiations between the administration and lawmakers have continued in parallel with the confirmation. Border policy adviser Tom Homan has taken part in multiple meetings with senators from both parties over the past week to discuss proposed adjustments to DHS operations. North Dakota Republican Sen. John Hoeven, who attended the sessions, said discussions had yielded movement and described the administration’s proposals as substantive.
Among the measures presented are expanded use of body cameras for ICE and Customs and Border Protection officers, increased congressional oversight of DHS facilities, requirements for clearly visible officer identification, and provisions aimed at preventing the detention or deportation of U.S. citizens. Details of the offer were shared publicly in a post that outlined the proposal as it was offered.
Hoeven said failure to reach agreement would mean abandoning provisions he characterized as broadly supported. “If [Democrats] decide to walk away, they’re giving up some really common sense things,” he told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Separately, internal Republican discussions examined an alternative funding strategy that would have financed most DHS operations while addressing Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding in a separate measure. President Donald Trump rejected that approach, stating that Republicans should not advance an agreement without securing Democratic support for the SAVE America Act. In a statement posted online, Trump publicly pushed back on the proposal.
Later Monday, several Republican senators — including Katie Britt of Alabama, Steve Daines of Montana, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and Bernie Moreno of Ohio — met at the White House to continue discussions on funding options, according to a post describing efforts to reignite discussions.
The confirmation took place as the Senate continued floor consideration of the SAVE America Act, which has been under debate since the previous week and is expected to remain a central focus as negotiations over DHS funding and policy conditions continue.
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