Why it Matters
In what has become one of the most divisive issues in the Trump Administration, immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) under the new leadership of Department of Homeland Security chief Markwayne Mullin received some rare bipartisan support. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security held an oversight hearing on June 25, 2026, where multiple Democratic appropriators offered support for Mullin during the hearing, .
Rep. Ed Case of Hawaii, Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, and Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas all praised the secretary. Escobar indicated the relationship had warmed considerably, noting she had "a really great meeting" with Mullin.
The praise reflects a notable shift in tone compared to the tenure of Mullin's predecessor, Kristi Noem. Mullin took office having pledged to improve relations with Capitol Hill when he assumed the role following his Trump administration confirmation in March 2026. He inherited a Department of Homeland Security that had been without funding for more than five weeks, presenting immediate operational challenges alongside the diplomatic task of rebuilding congressional relationships.
Sharp Clash
The hearing was far from a lovefest. It revealed the sharp divisions that remain on immigration enforcement matters. Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut clashed sharply with Mullin over child separation policies. During the exchange, DeLauro cited a figure of 3,900 children separated under the first Trump administration. Mullin countered DeLauro's claims by referencing children who went "missing" under the Biden administration.
The confrontation escalated when Mullin called DeLauro a "hypocrite" during the heated exchange. Rep. Lauren Underwood of Illinois was notably sharp in her exchange with Mullin as well, indicating that while some Democratic appropriators have warmed to the secretary, others remain deeply skeptical of his agency's approach to immigration enforcement.
Bipartisan Support DHS Leadership Amid Tensions
The hearing suggested that some improvements to the relationship between DHS and Democrats have materialized under Mullin's leadership, even as fundamental policy disagreements persist on immigration matters. DHS Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar appeared alongside Mullin at the hearing, presenting the agency's budget priorities and operational status to the House Appropriations Committee.
The hearing underscored that while Democratic praise for Republican officials in the Trump administration remains conditional and limited to specific areas of agreement, the relationship between the Department of Homeland Security and Capitol Hill appears less adversarial than it has been in recent years. Whether this trend continues will likely depend on how Mullin navigates the remaining immigration and border security disputes that divide the two parties.
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