New Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has wasted little time making changes at the agency.
Mullin has moved quickly in little more than two weeks on the job to reshape the department after replacing former Secretary Kristi Noem, signaling a more aggressive and hands-on approach to immigration enforcement and internal management, the Washington Examiner reported.
One of Mullin's most notable proposals targets sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
He has floated cutting back customs screening at major international airports in those jurisdictions — a move that could pressure local leaders to comply with federal law.
"It's an option," Mullin told reporters in North Carolina, adding that no decision had been made. "If cities are going to sit there and say that they're not going to enforce immigration policies, then I'll repeat myself and say it doesn't make any sense for us to process international travelers through that city."
The "option" aligns with broader Trump administration efforts to crack down on sanctuary jurisdictions, which Republicans argue undermine national security and immigration enforcement.
Courts have repeatedly blocked federal efforts to punish sanctuary cities — particularly by withholding federal funding — calling such actions unconstitutional.
Mullin has also prioritized resolving the ongoing DHS funding crisis, which has stretched into the longest shutdown in the department’s history.
Roughly 100,000 Transportation Security Administration employees had gone weeks without pay, a situation Mullin has worked urgently to fix.
"We expect most of those checks to be in their banks by Friday," Mullin told CBS News, noting that the administration used executive authority to ensure workers are compensated.
He criticized Democrats for allowing the shutdown to drag on, accusing them of jeopardizing national security by withholding funding.
"They're willing to defund and shut down 22 agencies that are tasked to keep the homeland safe," Mullin said, emphasizing that frontline personnel continued working despite the lack of pay.
Beyond personnel issues, Mullin has begun reviewing DHS spending practices, including halting plans by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to purchase warehouses for detention facilities after reports of excessive costs.
The move is part of a broader effort to ensure taxpayer dollars are used efficiently.
He has also taken steps to streamline disaster response, advocating for a greater role for state and local authorities rather than relying heavily on federal agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
During a recent visit to North Carolina, Mullin approved additional funding for hurricane recovery while calling for long-term reforms.
"The state is much more equipped. Neighbors are much more equipped. Local mayors are much more equipped. Emergency response from the states have much better equipment than FEMA," Mullin said, arguing that decentralized response efforts could improve efficiency.
At the same time, Mullin is reevaluating other costly initiatives, including the use of DHS-owned aircraft for deportation flights, as part of a wider cost-benefit review.
Taken together, the early actions highlight what supporters see as a return to strong leadership at DHS — focused on enforcing immigration laws, supporting workers, and eliminating waste — while critics warn the moves could escalate tensions with Democrat-led cities and lawmakers.
For the Trump administration, however, Mullin's rapid changes signal a clear message: The days of what they view as lax enforcement and bureaucratic drift at DHS are over.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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