Mullin Confirmed. On March 23, 2026, the U.S. Senate confirmed Markwayne Mullin as U.S. secretary of homeland security by a vote of 54–45. Democratic Senators John Fetterman (PA) and Martin Heinrich (NM) voted in favor of Mullin, while Rand Paul (KY) was the lone Republican to vote against him. Following the confirmation vote, Mullin, the onetime junior senator from Oklahoma, resigned from the Senate. He was sworn in as secretary of homeland security by Attorney General Pam Bondi on March 24, 2026, in an Oval Office ceremony hosted by President Donald Trump.
At the Buzz, we are most interested in the potential impact that Mullin may have on the employment-based immigration policies emanating from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which are both part of U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). During his time in Congress, in both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, Mullin did not play a significant role in advancing immigration legislation. In addition, because current immigration policy decisions are likely to be predominantly driven by subagency leaders (such as Joseph Edlow, director of USCIS) and the White House, the Buzz expects Mullin’s impact on employment-based immigration policies to be minimal. Further, regarding the current funding lapse at DHS and the current negotiation stalemate in Congress, the Buzz wonders whether Mullin’s presence at the agency may serve as a catalyst for...
Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi The Bauchi State Government has dismissed as false a viral video circulating on social media, particularly on Facebook and TikTok, claiming that Governor Bala Abdulkadir...