Kristi Noem’s replacement at Homeland Security faces a rough road ahead

Markwayne Mullin, the new secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, has officially been sworn into office. Given the recent climate of disarray within the department, he faces numerous challenges that will require decisive and forward-thinking actions, and perhaps even pushback against the demands of an ever-growing chaos coming out of the White House.

What’s more, this must all be done with no funding in place, due to the partial government shutdown that has now dragged on since Feb. 14. The president’s executive order to pay Transportation Security Administration officers only partially alleviates the funding pressure.

There are 16 operational and support components that make up the department. The most visible include the TSA, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, all of which have senior officials “performing the duties of the administrator” — not the Senate-confirmed administrators required by law.

This leadership vacuum permitted the previous secretary, Kristi Noem, to overtake policies and strategies at these agencies, rather than rely on more experienced and competent public servants to oversee their operations.

A top priority for Mullin should be to get Senate-approved administrators in place for these agencies.  

The acting administrators may indeed be the right people. Subjecting them to a Senate-approval process provides a wealth of information on their competence,........

© The Hill