Why it Matters

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is scheduled to hold a business meeting on March 19, 2026, to consider President Trump's pick of Sen Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to succeed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem at the end of the month. Mullin must be confirmed by his colleagues in the U.S. Senate to run the department, which includes the nation’s largest law enforcement agency, Customs and Border Protection, as well as the Secret Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The nomination hearing arrives at a moment when committee members from both parties have been locked in heated disputes over DHS funding, ICE enforcement tactics, and the conduct of current department leadership — all issues that will land squarely on the desk of whoever is confirmed as DHS Secretary. A series of overlapping homeland security crises including killing of US Citizens and a $200 Million ad campaign have contributed to making the question of who runs DHS a front-burner issue.

The Drama

A DHS funding standoff dominated the committee's attention through February. Committee Chair Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) presides over a panel where members on both sides spent weeks trading blame over a government shutdown that left DHS employees — including Coast Guard, TSA, and FEMA personnel — working without pay.

Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) wrote on February 9 that "most of this week we'll be working on finding a way to fund DHS and prevent another government shutdown." Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) accused Democrats of "making our homeland less secure by blocking funding for DHS." Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) noted that "Coast Guard, TSA, FEMA, and so many others were forced to work without pay."

ICE enforcement and DHS leadership accountability emerged as a second flashpoint. Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) reported that the head of ICE admitted at a Senate hearing that DHS leadership statements "bias" ongoing investigations. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) held a public forum to receive testimony on "violent use of force by DHS agents" and questioned whether "all the US citizens being detained by ICE are lying" or whether current DHS leadership "has no idea what he's saying."

These disputes have created a charged atmosphere heading into the Markwayne Mullin DHS Secretary confirmation vote.

What the Mullin DHS Nomination Means for the Committee

The business meeting is chaired by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), with Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) serving as ranking member. The committee includes nine Republicans and seven Democrats — a margin that gives the GOP the votes to advance the nomination on party lines if the caucus holds together.

Ranking Member Peters has been active on DHS oversight issues. He and Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) released a report finding that the Trump administration's National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C. was costing taxpayers more than one million dollars — a finding that signals the kind of DHS spending scrutiny Democrats plan to bring to the confirmation process.

On the Republican side, Sen. Lankford — Mullin's fellow Oklahoman — has been the most vocal defender of DHS enforcement operations, praising ICE and CBP agents at a February hearing and urging colleagues to "please say thanks to them."

Mullin Nomination Lobbying Disclosures Reveal Heavy Industry Interest

Over the last four quarters, more than 5,000 lobbying filings were coded to homeland security issues and approximately 3,700 filings were coded to immigration — the two policy areas most directly affected by the Markwayne Mullin DHS Secretary nomination.

Defense and Technology Contractors

Major defense and screening technology firms have been actively lobbying on DHS-related issues:

  • L3Harris Technologies filed lobbying disclosures in the Third Quarter of 2024 and Fourth Quarter of 2024, spending $30,000 per quarter on homeland security issues. The company's PAC has made 1,433 contributions to members of Congress across both parties.
  • Airbus Americas reported $230,000 in lobbying expenditures in the First Quarter of 2025 alone, with its PAC entities combining for 473 total contributions to congressional campaigns.
  • Smiths Detection, a TSA screening technology provider, spent $40,000 per quarter in the Third and Fourth Quarters of 2025. Its parent company's PAC has contributed to Senate leaders including McConnell and Rubio.

Immigration Advocacy on Both Sides

The immigration lobby is deeply engaged on both sides of the debate:

  • NumbersUSA Action, which advocates for reduced immigration levels, spent a consistent $90,000 per quarter across four consecutive quarters from the Third Quarter of 2024 through the Second Quarter of 2025.
  • National Immigration Forum Action Fund, which supports immigration reform, reported $140,000 in lobbying expenditures in the Second Quarter of 2025.

Neither immigration advocacy organization operates a PAC, relying instead on direct lobbying to influence policy.

Cybersecurity and Workforce Groups

  • SecurityScorecard spent $80,000 per quarter lobbying on CISA and critical infrastructure issues — a growing DHS priority area.
  • The Air Marshal National Council filed lobbying disclosures through the First Quarter of 2025 before terminating its registration, reflecting direct engagement with DHS workforce concerns.
  • SMACNA, the sheet metal contractors' association, reported $60,000 in the First Quarter of 2025 on homeland security matters, and its PAC has made 748 contributions to congressional campaigns.

The overlap between organizations lobbying on DHS issues and those contributing to congressional campaigns through PACs is notable. L3Harris, Airbus, Smiths Detection, and SMACNA all combine lobbying expenditures with PAC contributions targeting members of Congress — including those who sit on the very committee that will vote on this nomination.

What's at Stake for the Public

The DHS Secretary confirmation hearing carries direct consequences for Americans. The department oversees border security and immigration enforcement through CBP and ICE, airport screening through TSA, disaster response through FEMA, cybersecurity through CISA, and maritime safety through the Coast Guard.

The recent funding standoff already demonstrated the real-world impact of DHS leadership disputes. As multiple committee members noted, Coast Guard members, TSA officers, and FEMA personnel were forced to work without pay during the shutdown — a situation the next Secretary would be responsible for navigating.

The committee's February hearings also surfaced questions about ICE detention of U.S. citizens, use of force by DHS agents, and whether current leadership statements are compromising ongoing investigations — all issues that will define the confirmation debate.

The Bottom Line

The March 19 business meeting is the next procedural step in what has become a politically charged confirmation process. If the committee advances Mullin's nomination, it moves to the full Senate floor for a final vote. With Republicans holding the committee majority and no public indication of GOP defections, the vote is expected to proceed largely along party lines — but the DHS funding fights and ICE controversies that have consumed the committee in recent weeks ensure that Democrats will use the occasion to press their case on department oversight and accountability.

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