U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin speaks to reporters after a vote on March 12, 2026. The Senate advanced Mullin’s nomination to head the Department of Homeland Security in a vote Sunday. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate voted Sunday to advance the nomination of Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma to head the Department of Homeland Security.
The 54-37 procedural vote is preparing for a final vote on Mullins’ confirmation as early as Monday. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted to promote Mullin after also endorsing him in committee. Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico also voted with the Republicans.
If confirmed, Mullin will take over a department that has been closed since Feb. 14 amid a standoff over changes to immigration rules.
Senate Democrats have refused to approve a funding bill for the department after two U.S. citizens died in Minneapolis during a months-long immigration enforcement operation.
The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs voted 8-7 in favor of the move Mullins nomination as striker on Thursday. Mullin did not win the support of fellow Republican Rand Paul of Kentucky, who chairs the committee, but still received a positive vote from the committee as Fetterman joined all other Republicans in voting for Mullin.
Paul didn’t vote on Sunday.
During Mullins’ confirmation hearingPaul asked if Mullin could lead DHS given his “anger issues.” He also confronted Mullin over his comments in which he called Paul a “fucking snake” and expressed sympathy for a neighbor who attacked Paul in a 2017 attack that left him with six ribs broken and a lung damaged.
Outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is leaving the department primarily responsible for enforcing President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration policies countless problemsincluding a bottleneck in approving Federal Emergency Management Agency grants.
Noem, the former South Dakota governor, also came under bipartisan criticism for labeling the fatal shooting victims in Minneapolis, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, as domestic terrorists without any evidence.
Mullin made similar comments the day Pretti was shot, but said during the confirmation hearing that he regretted the statement but refrained from apologizing to Pretti’s family.
