Mullin is on a glidepath to confirmation, buoyed by strong relationships with his Senate colleagues, and relief from many over Noem’s ouster.
After Wednesday’s hearing, the Homeland Security Committee said it could vote as soon as Thursday to advance Mullin’s nomination, which would tee up a vote before the full chamber in the near future.
Mullin only needs a simple majority from the full chamber to be confirmed as DHS secretary. With 53 Republicans, his support is locked down, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters last week that he’s hopeful Mullin will even get some support from Democrats.
“He’s got good, strong relationships on the other side of the aisle,” Thune said. “And I mean, this is what the Democrats were clamoring for. They wanted a new change and shake up in the leadership, and it’s now happening.”
Thune added that he “can’t imagine” that Democrats, after pushing for new leadership, would “turn on one of their colleagues in the Senate, who I think has done a pretty good job in his time here of really building relationships on the other side.”
At least one Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, said he intends to support Mullin’s confirmation.
Asked whether Democrats would oppose Mullin’s confirmation, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said at a news conference last week that “the rot in ICE is deep.”
“It’s not one person — it goes deep within it. And what we need is not changing the personnel, but changing the law,” Schumer said. “That’s what Democrats are for.”
Mr. Trump said when he announced Mullin as his pick to be Noem’s replacement that she would remain in the role until March 31.
