The Senate voted 54-37 Sunday afternoon to break a filibuster on Sen. Markwayne Mullin's nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security, all but guaranteeing the Oklahoma Republican will be confirmed as early as Monday night. Two Democrats crossed the aisle to help advance the pick. Only one Republican objected, and he didn't even bother to vote.
The cloture vote cleared the last real procedural hurdle standing between Mullin and the DHS secretary's office. President Trump tapped him for the job after firing Kristi Noem, whose tenure was marred by months of controversy, including the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis and a $220 million advertising contract that drew bipartisan outrage.
Nine senators skipped Sunday's vote entirely. Eight of them were Democrats. The lone Republican absent was Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, who has waged a bitter personal campaign against Mullin's confirmation.
Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico joined every voting Republican to push Mullin's nomination forward. Fetterman said he approached the nomination "with an open mind" and framed his support as a matter of national security.
"My AYE is rooted in a strong committed, constructive working relationship with Senator Mullin for our nation's security."
Fetterman had earlier called for Noem's removal, and his willingness to back her replacement suggests he sees Mullin as a genuine upgrade, or at least a colleague he can work with. Either way, the crossover vote undercuts any Democratic claim that Trump's DHS picks are uniformly unacceptable.
Heinrich struck a different tone. He called Mullin "a friend" and described "a very honest and constructive working relationship." But he also slipped in a jab at the White House, saying he looked forward to "having a secretary who doesn't take their orders from Stephen Miller."
"I have also seen first-hand that Markwayne is not someone who can simply be bullied into changing his views, and I look forward to having a secretary who doesn't take their orders from Stephen Miller."
Heinrich's framing is telling. He wants credit for bipartisan cooperation while signaling to his base that he still opposes the administration's immigration enforcement posture. It's a hedge, not a profile in courage. But the vote counts the same.
The most colorful opposition came from Paul, who has turned Mullin's confirmation into a personal grudge match. Paul was the only Republican to vote against Mullin when the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee advanced the nomination to the full Senate last week. He called Mullin "a freaking snake."
The feud traces back to a claim Paul has repeated publicly: that Mullin told a reporter he "completely" understood why a man attacked Paul in late 2017, an assault that broke five of Paul's ribs. During the committee hearing, Paul confronted Mullin directly.
"You got a chance today. You can either continue to lie or you can correct the record. You have never had the courage to look me in the eye and tell me that the assault was justified, so today, you'll have your chance."
Mullin fired back, telling Paul he had spent his career trying to fix problems and working across the chamber. His response was pointed: "It seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us."
Paul's absence Sunday spoke louder than his rhetoric. He chose not to cast a no vote on the floor, a move that spared him from a losing stand but also drained whatever leverage he had left. The nomination sailed through without him.
Mullin's path to this nomination runs through the wreckage of Noem's tenure. Trump fired her after a string of embarrassments that damaged the department's credibility at a moment when border enforcement and immigration policy sit at the center of his agenda. The fatal shootings of two American citizens by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis became a flashpoint, and the $220 million advertising contract added fuel.
Fetterman was among the voices calling for Noem's removal, a rare point of bipartisan agreement. The speed with which Trump moved to replace her, and the relative ease of Mullin's confirmation path, suggests the White House wanted to turn the page fast. DHS has been at the center of repeated Senate clashes over funding and leadership, and the administration cannot afford prolonged vacancies in its most politically visible department.
The broader context matters. Senate Democrats have spent months refusing to negotiate on DHS-related legislation while simultaneously demanding that the department function at full capacity. That contradiction has played out in vote after vote, with Democrats blocking funding one day and demanding it the next. Fetterman and Heinrich broke from that pattern Sunday, but they remain the exception.
A final confirmation vote could come as early as Monday evening. With 54 senators already on record supporting cloture, Mullin's confirmation looks like a foregone conclusion barring a dramatic shift. Paul has made his displeasure known but lacks the votes to stop anything.
Mullin will inherit a department under intense scrutiny. The Minneapolis shootings remain a live political issue. Immigration enforcement operations continue to draw legal challenges and media criticism. And the broader fight over DHS's direction, including Trump's push for the SAVE America Act, will land squarely on the new secretary's desk.
The Oklahoma senator will need to move quickly. He has bipartisan goodwill from at least two Democrats, a clear mandate from the president, and a department that badly needs steady hands after months of turmoil. Whether he can deliver is the only question that matters now.
Washington doesn't lack for talkers. DHS needs someone who can run the building, enforce the law, and answer for results. Mullin is about to find out if he's that person.
