Department of Homeland Security Leadership

The Senate is set to hold confirmation hearings for Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace Kristi Noem as DHS secretary as the department struggles through a roughly five‑week funding lapse that has left thousands unpaid and worsened operational strains—from delayed disaster aid to long TSA lines and heightened security risks. Mullin, a Trump‑aligned senator with no formal law‑enforcement background, has drawn support from some Republicans and a few Democrats to press aggressive deportation and security priorities, while opponents—Democrats, civil‑liberties groups and even some GOP senators—warn of management problems, urge audits and criticize the administration’s turn toward mass detention and deportation tactics.