Senator Markey Statement Opposing Markwayne Mullin as Secretary of Homeland Security

Washington (March 23, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today released the following statement after the U.S. Senate confirmed Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to head the Department of Homeland Security.

"The Trump administration has sent ICE thugs into our communities to terrorize innocent immigrants, raid homes without judicial warrants, separate families, and target protestors," said Senator Markey. "At his confirmation hearing to become DHS Secretary, Senator Mullin refused to retract earlier comments he made justifying Renee Good's murder at the hands of ICE officers. He refused to say that Joe Biden won the 2020 election. He deflected when asked if he would send ICE officers to the polls during the midterm elections. And with Trump unleashing ICE agents at our airports, we cannot risk another leader at DHS who will simply rubberstamp the illegal, brutal Trump agenda. I voted against Senator Mullin's nomination because he has not shown that he will lead DHS with independence, put an end to ICE's lawlessness, or seek real accountability at the Department and its agencies."

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