Nearly two months into his tenure as Homeland Security Secretary, Markwayne Mullin has drawn positive reviews from Republican lawmakers who had grown frustrated with his predecessor, Kristi Noem. While the department's core policies remain largely unchanged, observers note a clear shift in tone and management style.
Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who had sharply criticized Noem over disaster aid delays, immigration enforcement deaths, and even her dog killing, offered a stark contrast. “There is no comparison whatsoever,” Tillis said. He praised Mullin for empowering border czar Tom Homan and for respecting career staff, describing a “sea of change” in the department’s atmosphere.
Under Mullin, the Trump administration continues aggressive immigration enforcement, but has moved away from the high-profile raids that drew protests under Noem. Mullin himself said on Fox News, “We’re not going into New York like another Minneapolis.” He also reversed an accelerated training program for ICE officers, reverting to the longer schedule after criticism that new agents were unprepared.
FEMA Funding and Management Shifts
Mullin has also earned praise for speeding up the release of FEMA funds, which had been stalled under Noem’s policy of personally approving any spending over $100,000. Tillis credited Mullin with eliminating “artificial barriers” installed by Noem and her chief of staff Corey Lewandowski, releasing over $300 million in support for North Carolina. President Trump also nominated Cameron Hamilton to lead FEMA—Hamilton had been fired by Noem after testifying he did not support dismantling the agency.
“Markwayne’s making all the right choices,” Tillis said. “I also don’t think he’s going to be doing anybody’s bidding from the White House. If he’s told to do something, he’ll do it if it makes sense, and he’ll push back if it doesn’t.”
Accessibility Praised by Republicans, Not Democrats
Representative Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, said Mullin has been “very easy to get a hold of, very easy to get response from him and his team.” He added, “He doesn’t want to embarrass the president, so he’s working very hard to make sure Congress has kept up to speed.”
But that praise was almost entirely from Republicans. Representative Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, said, “I have no engagement whatsoever. So, he’s still basically, from my vantage point, an unknown commodity.” Thompson noted that every previous DHS secretary had reached out to him, but Mullin has not. Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.) also said he had not heard from Mullin.
The lone exception among Democrats is Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), one of only two Democrats to vote for Mullin’s confirmation. “Secretary Mullin and I have an open line of communication, which I appreciate and didn’t have with Secretary Noem,” Heinrich said. “That doesn’t mean we agree on much, but being able to pick up the phone and reach the DHS Secretary is an important first step.”
Immigration Pressure and GOP Divide
On immigration, Mullin faces pressure from all sides, including a growing rift within the GOP between those who support the current approach and those who criticize the aggressive raids. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, noted, “Mullin is not making himself the face of mass deportation operations in the same way that Noem made herself the face of mass deportation operations.”
Mullin’s quieter style appears to be a deliberate strategy to avoid the political blowback that plagued Noem, but it remains to be seen whether he can maintain Republican support while managing a deeply polarized department and a divided Congress.
