The hearing for Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to become the next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security was never going to be drama-free. The agency is shut down, thanks to Democratic Party antics over Immigration and Customs Enforcement and their overall Trump derangement syndrome.
Yet, the fireworks kicked off from the GOP side, with Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-KY) laughable attempt to block Mullin’s introduction. Then, he aired an old video of Paul and Teamsters’ president Sean O’Brien almost getting into a physical altercation at a hearing. They’ve long buried the hatchet, both men are now friends, and the Teamsters’ chief supports Mullin’s nomination. Is this Rand being a moron, or just exceptionally poor staff work?
Mullin did say ICE agents will obtain judicial warrants and said targeting sanctuary city funding would be a DEFCON-1 option, one of last resort:
NEW: Sen. Mullin's (R-OK) confirmation hearing already opening up tense, with Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) confronting Mullin for calling him a "freaking snake" last month. Sen. Paul tells Mullin to "say it to my face".
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) March 18, 2026
Buckle up!
Three sources familiar now confirm to @FoxNews that Sen. Paul (R-KY) blocked Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) from introducing Mullin at his hearing.
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) March 18, 2026
Statement to FOX via senior Senate GOP source familiar with the situation:
"Rand Paul has become completely blinded by his hatred of…
What exactly was Rand attempting to prove by playing the clip of Markwayne Mullin challenging Sean O'Brien to a fight from three years ago when the guy is literally sitting right behind Mullin supporting his nomination?pic.twitter.com/l3tBJzNnVX
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) March 18, 2026
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) insisted that, if confirmed, he will ensure that DHS officers use judicial warrants “to go into houses, into place of businesses, unless we’re pursuing someone that enters in that place.”
“I have not mixed words with that, and I haven’t changed my opinion about that,” he said.
Immigration enforcement officers have been accused of entering homes and businesses without judicial warrants to make arrests.
[…]
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) said banning federal funding to “sanctuary cities” that limit cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement would be a “last resort,” another sign that the White House is attempting to temper the intensity of its crackdown against Democrat-led cities and states.
The frustrating part of this hearing is that you can see Democrats catching signs of a potential win. In fact, Fox News’ Bill Melugin pointed this out yesterday. Along with Mullin agreeing to judicial warrants, Greg Bovino is preparing to retire from Border Patrol, the Minneapolis surge has been halted, the roving patrols have been canceled, and soon-to-be-former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has been fired.
One could argue Democrats have already secured a handful of wins for their base on DHS.
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) March 17, 2026
Kristi Noem is out. Bovino has been reassigned & will reportedly retire. Roving patrols are over. Minnesota operation is over. Things have calmed down since Homan took the reins and…
Now, shutting down DHS when we’re at the height of a terror threat due to Operation Epic Fury is terrible optics and bad policy, leaving the homeland open for attack, because you can’t stand Trump won’t play well. Second, the TSA situation is now spiraling out of control over a matter that isn’t even related to the ICE raid situation: those are funded through 2029, guys. But Democrats don’t care. They will hold the government hostage for their nose-pierced, blue-haired freak of a political base, and there is no denying they got some concessions out of it.
I doubt Democrats will believe Mullin. They’re just too unhinged right now to deal with reasonably. But even The Washington Post said that judicial warrants for every deportation, which has never happened, is not practical.