(The Center Square) – On Monday evening, U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin received confirmation to lead the Department of Homeland Security from his fellow lawmakers on the chamber floor.
And Pennsylvania played a key role in securing the position for the freshman Republican senator of Oklahoma, whose nomination stirred controversy on both sides of the aisle.
John Fetterman and Dave McCormick, the commonwealth’s respective Democrat and Republican senators, were among 54 others to confirm Mullin. Aside from Fetterman, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico was the only Democrat to support the nomination, while Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky joined the other 44 in opposition.
Neither McCormick nor Fetterman released any statements immediately following the confirmation.
Mullin takes over the role previously held by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who was fired on March 5 by President Donald Trump. Noem, who became the first Cabinet leader to leave their position during Trump’s current term, faced increased criticism from lawmakers over her leadership of the department following the shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis.
Fetterman and McCormick both supported Noem’s confirmation to lead DHS in January 2025. However, Fetterman called on Trump to fire Noem in late January following the shooting deaths of Pretti and Good. McCormick did not call for Noem to step down from her role, although at least two Republican Senators did.
On the same day Trump fired Noem, Fetterman and McCormick issued their support for Mullin to head DHS.
Although Mullin was confirmed on Monday evening, he didn’t cruise through the process.
On March 19, the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs voted 8-7 to advance Mullin’s nomination. Fetterman, being the only Democrat to support his nomination through the committee, was viewed as the deciding vote.
Throughout the process, Democrats, including Pennsylvania U.S. Reps. Brendan Boyle and Chrissy Houlahan urged Fetterman to vote against Mullin.
Mullin’s tenure as DHS secretary begins amid an ongoing partial government shutdown that began on Feb. 14. Democrats and Republicans in Congress remain at odds over a funding plan for the agency.
U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., said last week that he was planning to introduce a bipartisan compromise proposal to end the DHS partial shutdown that would fund the agency, while including reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE.
Reports surfaced on Monday that the Trump administration is planning to deploy ICE agents to 14 airports amid the ongoing partial shutdown. Transportation Security Administration, TSA, officials are not being paid as a result of the standoff in Congress and callouts have increased in recent days.
Philadelphia International Airport and Pittsburgh International Airport were included in the list of airports where ICE agents are expected.
