Trump Names Sen. Mullin DHS Chief to Bolster Florida Border Security
The Oklahoma Republican, replacing Kristi Noem, aims to ramp up immigration enforcement amid rising migrant arrivals in Martin and St. Lucie counties.
President Donald Trump announced Thursday he has chosen Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to serve as the next Secretary of Homeland Security, replacing Kristi Noem at the agency overseeing the administration's sweeping immigration enforcement effort.
Trump made the announcement in a post on his Truth Social platform, saying Mullin would "work tirelessly to Keep our Border Secure" and "Make America Safe Again." Trump said Mullin would begin in the role March 31, though that timeline is contingent on Senate confirmation. Mullin told reporters at the Capitol he learned of the selection just before Trump made it public.
For Treasure Coast residents, the leadership change at DHS carries direct implications. The agency oversees the U.S. Border Patrol, FEMA disaster response, and the U.S. Coast Guard — all of which are active presences in Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties. DHS has been operating without annual appropriations funding since Feb. 14, a gap Mullin has been involved in negotiating from his seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Mullin, first elected to the House in 2012 and later elevated to the Senate via a 2022 special election, has been a reliable Trump ally on immigration and this week backed the president's decision to order strikes against Iran. His confirmation path carries uncertainty. He will need to appear before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, chaired by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), with whom Mullin has clashed in the past, according to news reports. In his statement, Mullin said Trump had already "delivered the most secure U.S. border in American history" and pledged to continue that mission.
With Mullin vacating his seat, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt will appoint a replacement to serve through January 2027 under state law, while candidates can still declare for the full-term race.
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