Mullin's DHS Confirmation: Challenges Ahead

0:00On March 17th, Senator Mark Wayne Mullin faces his confirmation hearing on Wednesday to become the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, stepping in after the rocky term of outgoing leader Kristi Noem. Republicans are eager for him to outline clear plans to steady the agency and push for its funding, which Democrats have stalled for five weeks, sparking a partial government shutdown. Earlier this week, Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana stressed the need to hear Mullin's ideas on tightening management at FEMA and directing aid to. Disaster hit areas across the country. Meanwhile, Senator Cynthia Lemmys from Wyoming called out poor communication under Noem, noting how hard it was even to get a call back from the Department. GOP Senators largely back Mullin, including holdouts like Alaska's Lisa Murkowski, who wants push for Noem to go. On the other side, most Democrats plan to grill him over shifts in the Trump administration's tough stance on illegal immigration, with just Pennsylvania's John Federman signaling

1:03support so far. Some Democrats remain wary, like New Jersey's Andy Kim, who doubts Mullin can drive real change with White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, wielding heavy influence as Homeland Security Advisor. The White House insists Mullin is the right pick to build on President Trump's priorities. Confirmation looks straightforward for Mullin, setting the stage for him to tackle these challenges right away.