Markwayne Mullin, the White House pick for homeland security secretary, told the Senate on Wednesday that he would be “protecting everybody” as he sought confirmation to lead a department Democrats say has been at the center of an escalating dispute over immigration enforcement and federal funding. Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican, framed himself as a steady manager for a Homeland Security operation that he said has been “roiled by controversy” during Kristi Noem’s tenure and that now sits at the heart of President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda.
In a hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, senators asked Mullin about his plans for the department as Democrats have halted routine funds for the agency during what they described as a weekslong standoff. Lawmakers tied the dispute to their demands for restraints on immigration officers after the death of at least three American citizens in incidents involving federal agents.
Mullin signaled that, if confirmed, he would follow Trump’s hard-line immigration priorities. He also pushed back against concerns raised by senators about his temperament for the Cabinet post, including a combative style that Democrats and other lawmakers said could complicate oversight of a sensitive agency.
During questioning, Mullin told senators, “I can have different opinions with everybody in this room, but as secretary of homeland I’ll be protecting everybody,” adding, “My goal in six months is that we’re not in the lead story every single day.” The exchange reflected the hearing’s twin themes: what enforcement priorities DHS would carry out and whether Mullin’s approach would bring stability, rather than further escalation, as immigration enforcement operations remain politically contentious.
On immigration arrest targets, Mullin said no quota had been set for him. He also retracted comments he previously made about Alex Pretti, the Minneapolis man shot by federal immigration officers. In the hearing, Mullin said, “I shouldn’t have said that and as secretary, I wouldn’t,” after earlier describing Pretti as “deranged.”
Mullin also addressed how federal officers would conduct forcible home entries for arrests. He said officers would use a warrant signed by a judge except in limited circumstances, while raising the issue that federal officers have at times used administrative warrants, a practice that lawmakers have cited as a potential bypass of constitutional protections.
Sen. Rand Paul, the committee chair, opened with a fiery statement in which he challenged Mullin’s fitness for the role. Paul pointed to Mullin’s past comments during a prior funding fight, when Paul said Mullin called him a “freaking snake” and referenced an incident in which Paul was tackled by a neighbor in a lawn care dispute. Paul said he suffered multiple broken ribs and later underwent surgeries he linked to the attack, and he questioned whether someone who he described as applauding violence would be appropriate to lead an agency that has struggled with limits on force.
Paul asked for the committee to consider Mullin’s responses to those controversies. Mullin refused to back down, saying, “For you to say I’m a liar, sir, that’s not accurate.” Paul later said he would not vote for Mullin’s confirmation.
Other members also pressed Mullin on the record. Sen. Gary Peters questioned Mullin about remarks Peters attributed to him that suggested Mullin had been “involved in special security forces or combat operations overseas.” Mullin responded that he was involved in an official trip but said he could not discuss details, adding, “It’s classified, sir,” and saying he had never revealed details about “the dates, location and mission.” Peters said the FBI background check found no record of the trip, and Mullin agreed to discuss the matter in a private, classified setting after the hearing.
The hearing also tied Mullin’s expected approach to Trump’s stated goals and to the political context around DHS. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in an emailed statement that Mullin would be a faithful ally for Trump’s agenda, adding that Mullin would work to implement the president’s priorities around “protecting the homeland from bad actors,” stopping dangerous drugs, and removing “the worst-of-the-worst criminal illegal aliens.”
Mullin further faced questions about other responsibilities housed within DHS, including the future of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He told senators he would look to “restructure” FEMA and not abolish it, and he said he would revoke a policy under Noem that required contracts above $100,000 to wait for her approval, which Democrats and states have said contributed to delays during disasters and reimbursements.
The hearing unfolded against a backdrop in which Republicans have blamed Democrats for risking security by blocking DHS funding, while Democrats have argued that enforcement actions require restraints after deaths tied to federal agents. In that environment, Mullin told lawmakers, “We have to get DHS funded,” and said, “We have to realize that we’re putting our homeland and the peace of mind at risk for the American people.”