Trump Names Oklahoma Senator Mullin as New Homeland Security Secretary

President Trump announced Thursday that Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin will replace Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary effective March 31, 2026. Noem faced mounting criticism over controversial immigration enforcement tactics and the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis.

President Donald Trump announced Thursday a significant cabinet shake-up, naming Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin as the next Secretary of Homeland Security to replace Kristi Noem, who has faced mounting criticism over her aggressive immigration enforcement approach.

“I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

The leadership change comes amid questions about the future direction of Trump’s immigration policies. Noem will transition to a new position as “Special envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” according to the president’s announcement.

The former South Dakota governor became a controversial figure during her tenure, gaining attention for inflammatory social media posts about immigrants and what critics called harsh enforcement tactics. Her approach included deploying masked immigration agents in major cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington D.C., conducting sweeps in neighborhoods and locations such as Home Depot parking lots.

Noem faced intense scrutiny in January following a deadly incident in Minneapolis where federal immigration agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti. She immediately characterized their actions as “domestic terrorism,” but later-released video footage contradicted claims by Noem and other administration officials that the victims were violent aggressors.

The public outcry over these deaths prompted the administration to shift toward more focused immigration enforcement in Minnesota, moving away from the broad sweeps that had sparked violent confrontations with community members opposing the crackdown.

Congressional Democrats initiated impeachment proceedings against Noem, while at least two Republican lawmakers also called for her removal following these incidents. During March congressional hearings, lawmakers from both parties criticized her management of DHS and her enforcement methods, including concerns about a $220 million advertising campaign that prominently featured the secretary.

The staffing transition raises uncertainty about whether the Trump administration will escalate its mass deportation efforts or adopt a more selective strategy. Public support for Trump’s immigration policies declined as agents detained American citizens and used tear gas in streets while attempting to increase deportations, which fell below the administration’s target of one million annually.

Despite serving as a vocal advocate for Trump’s agenda, immigration policy remains under the control of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, a longtime Trump advisor. The 54-year-old Noem received quick Senate confirmation to lead the 260,000-employee department when Trump returned to office in January 2025.

Throughout her time in office, Noem used provocative language on social media, calling immigrants with criminal records “scumbags” while arrests of non-criminal immigrants increased under the administration. She personally participated in enforcement operations in New York City and visited a high-security El Salvador prison housing Venezuelan immigrants who had been deported without charges or legal representation.

Border crossings dropped dramatically under Trump’s restrictive policies, a sharp contrast to the elevated illegal immigration levels during former President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration.

Following Trump’s broader agenda, Noem also moved to reduce legal immigration pathways and strengthen screening processes. She terminated multiple Temporary Protected Status programs that had provided work authorization to hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Venezuela, Haiti, and other countries, triggering legal challenges.

After an Afghan immigrant allegedly attacked National Guard personnel in Washington D.C., Noem stated she advised Trump to implement “a full travel ban on every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies.”

Opponents accused Noem of vilifying immigrants and implementing enforcement policies that primarily affected law-abiding working immigrants and their families. During her leadership, deaths in immigration detention facilities reached a 20-year peak while DHS oversight staff experienced significant cuts.