Senate confirms new DHS head while department remains shut down

The Senate has confirmed Trump’s pick to replace Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who was recently removed amid controversy over the immigration crackdown and Noem’s stewardship of the department. Markwayne Mullin has been the junior Senator from Oklahoma since 2023 and previously served four terms in the House.

Mullin has a reputation as an outspoken MAGA loyalist. However, during his confirmation hearings, Mullin outlined some reforms he intended to apply to Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. Firstly, Mullin said that he would shift away from large-scale federal immigration enforcement operations like the one in Minnesota that resulted in the deaths of two American citizens. Instead, Mullin said, he would shift focus to cooperation with local law enforcement to identify people who can be removed from the country. Furthermore, Mullin said he would end the policy of allowing ICE agents to enter homes without a judicial warrant, a practice many say is a violation of the 4th Amendment.

Despite what appeared to be an olive branch to Democrats who have demanded such reforms, only two Democrats voted to approve his confirmation.

DHS shutdown now at 40 days

The change in leadership at DHS does not seemed to have moved the needle in the Congressional fight over DHS funding. The Democrats have blocked funding for DHS for 40 days so far, demanding substantial changes to ICE practices. Aside from requiring judicial warrants and ending large-scale operations in cities, the Democrats also demand that ICE agents not be allowed to hide their faces and abide by the same rules of force standards other law enforcement agencies adhere to.

The DHS shutdown affects several other agencies apart from ICE, including the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). TSA agents have been required to work without pay for weeks, leading to callouts and long lines at airports.

Senate Republicans recently proposed an off-ramp to President Trump which would allow all the DHS agencies to be funded as normal except for ICE. Republicans had previously rejected this compromise from Democrats, but are facing increasing pressure to get a deal. However, Trump rejected the compromise. Instead he demanded that the Senate past the SAVE America act, a bill that would make it more difficult for many Americans to vote. The bill has virtually no chance of passing the Senate with Democrats united against it.

ICE agents sent to help at airports as TSA faces delays. Trump doesn’t rule out using them for immigration enforcement at aiports.