News

Biweekly bulletin: President Donald Trump nominates Markwayne Mullin to replace Kristi Noem

Shayna Dolin, Staff Writer • March 9, 2026

A change in position for the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) occurred on Thursday, when President Donald Trump nominated Markwayne Mullin to replace Kristi Noem.

Noem was removed following continual congressional hearings regarding her leadership, specifically the handling of immigration crackdowns and a $220 million taxpayer-funded ad campaign that featured Noem. During the ad campaign, a policy instituted by Noem requiring her approval for any Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) expenses over $100,000 delayed over 1,000 contracts, including funding for disaster relief in Los Angeles and North Carolina.

Later in the day, Trump announced he was anointing Mullin as the next Secretary of DHS. Mullin served as a Republican United States junior senator for Oklahoma since 2023. He was elected during a special election to fulfill the rest of former Senator Jim Inhofe’s term. Before that, he served five terms in the House of Representatives for Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District. He is a businessman, an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation and holds an Associate of Applied Science in construction from Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology. Trump described Mullin as a “MAGA Warrior” and a supporter of his “America First” program. In the Senate, Mullin frequently voiced support for Trump’s immigration and border control policies. Mullin publicly supported DHS efforts to detain undocumented immigrants, aligning with the Trump administration’s goals to “Stop Migrant Crime” and prevent illegal drug smuggling across borders.

Outside of immigration, Mullin was the primary sponsor of the following 14 bills in the Senate:

Story continues below advertisement

S. 3302: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act of 2025
S. 2257: Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026
S.J.Res. 47: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to “California State Motor Vehicle and Engine and Nonroad Engine
S. 932: Give Kids a Chance Act of 2025
H.R. 9137 (117th): State Offices of Rural Health Program Reauthorization Act of 2022
H.R. 1762 (117th): Protecting Indian Tribes from Scams Act
H.R. 5641 (115th): State Offices of Rural Health Reauthorization Act of 2018
H.R. 5554 (115th): Animal Drug and Animal Generic Drug User Fee Amendments of 2018
H.R. 3477 (114th): NATIVE Act
H.R. 3154 (114th): E-Warranty Act of 2015
H.R. 2675 (114th): Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act of 2015
H.R. 533 (114th): To revoke the charter of incorporation of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma at the request of that tribe, and for other purposes.
H.R. 487 (114th): To allow the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma to lease or transfer certain lands.
H.R. 2319 (113th): Native American Veterans’ Memorial Amendments Act of 2013

Mullin was among the Republicans to call the latest government shutdown a “political theater,” believing it was not about policy, but rather about politicians navigating future careers and attempting to influence elections.

As an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, Mullin is expected to provide a better understanding of federal Indian policy and law within the agency, addressing recent controversies surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions against tribal members.

He is set to take the position on Mar. 31 as acting secretary while his confirmation process unfolds. His appointment as secretary is poised to escalate tensions between the federal government and California, particularly in immigration enforcement and border security. Following Trump’s announcement to appoint Mullin, California Governor Gavin Newsom called the secretary candidate an “erratic, unstable man,” citing concerns over his and the Trump administration’s approach to immigration.

Donate to The Falconer

Your donation will support the student journalists of Torrey Pines High School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

About the Contributors

Shayna Dolin, Staff Writer

All the way from the infamous cheese state of Wisconsin, Shayna Dolin, a sophomore, brings her journalistic expertise into classroom 311 as a Staff Writer. Dolin takes any chance she gets to share her opinion and meet new people, landing her on the Falconer staff. When she’s not walking her dogs through Crest Canyon or spending her time at the beach, she can be found playing tennis or pickleball in her free time. She is so excited to explore all aspects of the school’s student body and have a great year.

Jaewon Jang, Graphics and Multimedia Editor

Now as a Graphics and Multimedia editor, Jaewon Jang continues his second year in the Falconer in graphic design. Since designing for the stories of this newspaper has been one of the greatest pleasures in his school life, Jang is determined to cooperate with other staff members to make this year’s Falconer as brilliant and visually appealing as last year, hopefully, even better than last year. Now that he learned lots of things from his successes and mistakes from last year, he looks forward to sharing his experiences and techniques with the incoming members of the Falconer and assisting fellow editors to publish the stories while maintaining friendship. Furthermore, he is eager to recruit more designers for the newspaper team to increase the quality of overall designs and get new ideas that will support the Falconer’s design to become more complete. Outside of the Falconer, he is a biology lover who likes to draw animals and small organisms. He is starting a club to make children’s books for the youngsters who do not have exposure to biology. As he enters his junior year, Jang is more than excited to work with new members and learn lots of new things and become a supporter while seeking for new designers, ultimately aiming for enhancing the visual elements of the Falconer.