WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, during the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) confirmation hearing, Senator Andy Kim questioned President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Homeland Security, Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK). Senator Mullin would replace Secretary Kristi Noem whose tenure at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was marked by harmful failures and deadly tragedies, including the murder of two American citizens.
Senator Kim released the following statement after the confirmation hearing:
“The failures at the Department of Homeland Security and the accountability needed runs far deeper than just who holds the title of Secretary. Donald Trump and his cronies – Stephen Miller and Tom Homan – continue to show no intention of ending the lawlessness that’s taken lives in our streets or the terror they are inflicting on immigrant communities.
“I will still be voting no on Senator Mullin’s nomination and if he is confirmed, I’ll work aggressively to hold him to the commitments he made to New Jerseyans during today’s confirmation hearing.”
Watch Senator Kim’s Full Question Line
During today’s nomination hearing, Senator Kim outlined key requests of Senator Mullin if he were confirmed as DHS Secretary. As Ranking Member of HSGAC’s Subcommittee on Disaster Management, District of Columbia, and Census, Senator Kim is committed to holding the head of DHS and the entire Trump administration accountable to the promises Senator Mullin made in today’s hearing:
- Immediate reversal of Secretary Noem’s disastrous $100,000 approval policy – Senator Mullin agreed he would “absolutely” commit to revoking the policy. WATCH HERE
- Senator Kim has led the push to revoke this needless red tape that has left disaster-impacted communities without crucial funding they need to rebuild.
- This month, Senator Kim and HSGAC Ranking Member Peters released a report that found the review policy has created severe delays in delivering FEMA disaster assistance, specifically identifying at least 1,034 FEMA contracts, grants, or disaster assistance awards that have been delayed or left pending.
- Opposing the elimination of FEMA – Having concerns about severe cuts to FEMA staff and President Trump’s calls to eliminate FEMA, Senator Kim pressed on future plans for this crucial agency. Senator Mullin stated, “I think it needs to be restructured, not eliminated.”
- Senator Kim has long worked to deliver bipartisan reforms to FEMA that ensures the agency can fulfill its mission to deliver vital resources and support to Americans in their time of greatest need.
- Nominate a FEMA administrator that has real experience in emergency management – Senator Mullin said “absolutely” when asked about putting a full nominee before the committee.
- Traveling to Roxbury, New Jersey to speak directly to local leaders and hear their opposition to DHS building a detention facility in their community – Senator Mullin agreed it is important to talk to local officials and committed to talking to the local Roxbury Mayor and traveling to Roxbury.
- Senator Kim pointed out that no ICE officials spoke to the local Mayor or local law enforcement to get a local assessment prior to purchasing a warehouse facility the size of eight football fields to house over 1,500 detainees.
- Last month, Senator Kim introduced legislation to end President Trump’s warehouse detention in New Jersey and nationwide by prohibiting DHS from using taxpayer dollars to purchase warehouses or use warehouses to detain non-citizens. This bill built off of previous work by Senator Kim to stop the opening of the warehouse in Roxbury specifically.
- Dignified and humane conditions at detention facilities – After Senator Kim witnessed unacceptable conditions of detainees at Delaney Hall in New Jersey firsthand, he pressed Senator Mullin on ensuring direct oversight by DHS to ensure dignified conditions, including allowing oversight by congress. Senator Mullin responded that, “everyone deserves to be treated by a dignified hand.”
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