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2h ago

Senate Sets Monday Night Vote to Confirm Mullin as Homeland Security Secretary

The decision would place a Trump ally over a struggling department during a funding shutdown.

U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Rand Paul (R-KY) departs with his staff after the panel’s vote to advance the nomination of Senator Markwayne Mullin to be President Trump's next Homeland Security secretary at a meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 19, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
FILE - This photo combination shows, from left, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., in Washington, March 18, 2026, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla.,. March 18, 2026 on Capitol Hill in Washington and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, Tom Brenner, file)
Image
U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) votes “aye” to advance the nomination of Senator Markwayne Mullin to be President Trump's next Homeland Security secretary at a U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 19, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Overview

  • The Senate voted 54–37 to end debate on Markwayne Mullin’s nomination, with Democrats John Fetterman and Martin Heinrich joining Republicans.
  • Leaders scheduled the final confirmation vote for Monday evening, and a simple majority would install Mullin to lead the agency.
  • Homeland Security remains partly unfunded, causing unpaid staff, long TSA lines, and ICE officers starting airport support for TSA on Monday.
  • At his hearing, Mullin faced Rand Paul’s criticism over temperament and said he would require judicial warrants before most home entries.
  • Trump nominated Mullin after firing Kristi Noem following Minneapolis enforcement controversies and questions over a $220 million DHS ad contract.