DHS shutdown fight spills into Mullin hearing
Democrats seize on the Oklahoma Republican’s hearing to press for deeper ICE commitments as TSA delays grow, while Republicans say the White House has already gone further than expected.
TODAY IN CONGRESS
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Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) will face his colleagues on the Senate Homeland Security Committee this morning as President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security. But the hearing will unfold amid a live funding standoff that’s turning what would typically be a routine confirmation into a broader fight over immigration enforcement and the future of ICE for the remainder of Trump 2.0.
The department has been partially shut down for more than a month, with disruptions beginning to surface in visible ways—most notably long TSA lines at airports across the country. That backdrop is shaping the political messaging on both sides ahead of the hearing, with Republicans arguing Democrats are prolonging the impasse and Democrats countering that the holdup reflects deeper concerns about how ICE operates.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) made clear on Tuesday morning that Republicans believe the administration has already made significant concessions in negotiations with Democrats, pointing to a White House proposal that expands guardrails on immigration enforcement. Those include increasing funding for body cameras from $20 million to $100 million, adding Inspector General audits, and strengthening compliance reviews for ICE operations.
The White House formalized those offers in a letter to top Republican appropriators, outlining a package of changes that would expand body camera use, tighten oversight of detention facilities, limit enforcement actions at sensitive locations like schools and hospitals, and require clearer identification for immigration officers. The administration argues that those steps build on bipartisan negotiations and should be enough to secure full DHS funding.
But Democrats are signaling that the concessions still fall short. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) argues ICE must be brought “under control” before additional funding is approved, a position that is increasingly central to the party’s strategy as the standoff drags on.
House Democrats are escalating the pressure today by launching a discharge petition at noon on the Capitol steps to force a vote on legislation that would fund DHS agencies such as the TSA and FEMA while excluding ICE and Customs and Border Protection. The effort reflects a growing push among Democrats to separate widely supported homeland security functions from the more politically charged immigration enforcement debate.
Republicans are firmly opposed to that approach, though. Thune dismissed the idea of funding individual components of DHS, arguing Democrats are attempting to “peel off” agencies they support while effectively defunding immigration enforcement. He also criticized Democrats for taking weeks to respond to the administration’s latest offer, saying meaningful negotiations require both sides to stay engaged at the table.
All of that will hang over Mullin’s testimony. While questions about his qualifications and management experience are expected, the sharper exchanges are likely to focus on whether he supports the administration’s current enforcement posture and whether he sees any need for additional reforms to ICE beyond what’s already on the table.
His confirmation prospects are not in serious doubt. But today’s hearing will serve as a proxy battle over the DHS shutdown, with both parties using the moment to define the terms of the immigration fight that’s driving it.
HAPPENINGS
All times Eastern.
The House is in at 10 a.m. and will vote at 4:45 p.m. on a bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to allow the U.S. to deport undocumented immigrants who commit federal fraud or unlawfully receive public benefits, a bill to prevent the USDA from banning or regulating lead ammunition and fishing tackle on public lands and waters, and a suspension proposing a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget.
The Senate is in at 10 a.m. and will resume debate on the SAVE America Act. There are no votes scheduled at the time of publication.
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Legislative Branch will hold a budget hearing at 9 a.m. on the Government Accountability Office and Congressional Budget Office.
The Senate Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing at 9:30 a.m. on the nomination of Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to be Secretary of Homeland Security.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. on restoring mission focus at the State Department.
The House China Select Committee will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. on how China is cornering the market on our medicines.
The House Small Business Committee will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. examining the Small Business Administration Office of Field Operations.
The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution and Limited Government will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. on the adverse effects of Plyer v. Doe, a 1982 Supreme Court decision that held denying public education to undocumented students violates the Equal Protection Clause.
The House Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. on U.S. military posture and national security challenges in Europe.
The House Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions will hold an oversight hearing at 10 a.m. on the Export-Import Bank with Chairman and President John Jovanovic.
The House Oversight Committee will hold a markup at 10 a.m. on bills aimed at curbing waste, fraud and secret spending in federal programs, boosting government efficiency and fiscal preparedness, increasing transparency around settlement agreements, addressing D.C. traffic enforcement, granting Highland City, Utah, its own ZIP Code, and approving several post office naming measures.
The Senate Intelligence Committee will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. to examine worldwide threats. It will be immediately followed by a closed session.
The Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. on platform power as Section 230 turns 30.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. on challenges and opportunities with implementing the Endangered Species Act.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will receive a closed briefing at 10 a.m. in the current situation in the Middle East.
The House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Workforce Protections will hold a hearing at 10:15 a.m. on strengthening federal workers’ compensation programs.
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing at 10:15 a.m. on the U.S. health care provider landscape.
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Legislative Branch will hold a budget hearing at 11 a.m. on the Architect of the Capitol.
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology will hold a hearing at 2 p.m. to discuss securing U.S. leadership in communications technology.
The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight will hold a hearing at 2 p.m. on the legal basis for action against Venezuelan drug traffickers.
The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing at 2 p.m. on improving kidney health through better prevention and innovative treatment.
The Senate Small Business Committee will hold a hearing at 2:30 p.m. on Sunshine Week and bringing secret government spending to light.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and the House Democratic Caucus will hold a press event at 12 p.m. on their DHS discharge petition.
President Trump will receive his intelligence briefing at 10 a.m. in the Oval Office and participate in a dignified transfer ceremony at 1:25 p.m. in Dover, Del.
IN THE KNOW
— Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair Mark Warner (D-Va.) sent the Treasury Department a letter demanding answers over a reported $10 billion payment tied to the Trump-brokered TikTok sale, raising concerns about legality, conflicts of interest and national security. Warner questioned Secretary Scott Bessent on the administration’s authority to extract the payment—equal to roughly 71% of the deal’s valuation—and is seeking documentation on the legal basis, Trump’s involvement and how the funds would be used.
— Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) led Senate Democrats in pressing DHS to speed up DACA renewal processing, warning that delays are leaving Dreamers vulnerable to job loss, detention and deportation. 39 Democrats said in a letter to DHS leadership that the backlog is creating “instability and uncertainty” for recipients and their families while disrupting key sectors like health care and education.
— House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats are demanding answers from Secretary of State Marco Rubio as it accuses the Trump administration of failing to adequately prepare for the regional fallout from U.S. strikes on Iran. In a letter, they point to gaps in evacuation planning and resource deployment, arguing the response reflects a broader “lack of preparedness” for a predictable escalation.
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