Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump has fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who was caught in controversies over her handling of immigration raids and her personal life. He named Senator Markwayne Mullin on March 5 to replace Noem, the first cabinet official to leave his administration in his second term.
It was a mighty fall for one of the most loyal and firebrand supporters of Trump, whose excesses in implementing immigration policies were seen as beginning to hurt the administration ahead of the midterm elections. The sprawling Homeland Security Department has a portfolio ranging from immigration and emergency relief to airport security and the Coast Guard.
Adding to her woes, Congress had cut off funding for the department in mid-February, with the Democrats objecting to the way the immigration service operates, and negotiations to restore funding were floundering, affecting its operation. Noem was considered a roadblock to a resolution of the dispute, although Senate Democratic Party leader Chuck Schumer said the change in leadership won’t make a difference. Trump announced her dismissal and Mullin’s nomination in a post on Truth Social.
Mullin, who is a Native American, has served five terms in the House and is in his third year in the Senate.
Expectations of Mullin are that he would bring stability to the Homeland Security Department, which has been roiled by turmoil inside and controversies outside because of Noem’s flamboyant style of leadership. “Markwayne truly gets along well with people, and knows the Wisdom and Courage required to Advance our America First Agenda”, Trump wrote.
