After Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer disparaged ICE and Border Patrol, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin didn’t just push back; he lit a match and scorched Schumer’s credibility on national television.
“It makes my ears red,” a visibly incensed Mullin fired back following Schumer’s claim that Border Patrol and ICE are agencies &#8220;nobody respects.&#8221; Mullin continued his blistering counter-attack: “It takes a lot to get me upset. But Chuck Schumer, no one respects you. The definition of a lying scumbag politician, that is you; you would be the definition if you Googled you right now.”
Mullin’s righteous indignation comes after Schumer has <a href="https://www.democrats.senate.gov/news/press-releases/leader-schumer-floor-remarks-ahead-of-voting-against-the-dhs-funding-bill-instead-urging-republicans-to-work-with-democrats-to-rein-in-ice">suggested</a> ICE could become a “rogue&#8221; force. The DHS Secretary was quick to point out the staggering hypocrisy of a man whom he said enjoys 24/7 taxpayer-funded security while simultaneously working to defund the men and women protecting the rest of the country. “How about he walks around these city streets without a detail? I wonder how safe he would feel,” Mullin challenged.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
DHS Sec. Markwayne Mullin TEARS into Chuck Schumer after the Senate minority leader said NO ONE respects ICE and Border Patrol:
CHUCK SCHUMER: &quot;Two groups&#8230; Border Patrol and ICE&#8230; that nobody respects in this country.&quot;
MARKWAYNE MULLIN: &quot;Chuck Schumer, no one respects you.… <a href="https://t.co/TyuXjqOrdx">pic.twitter.com/TyuXjqOrdx</a>
&mdash; Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/2047315286139768913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The verbal fireworks exploded just as the Senate GOP moved to bypass Democratic obstruction through budget reconciliation. Early Thursday, in a 50-48 vote, Republicans advanced a plan to dedicate roughly $70 billion to ICE and Border Patrol — a move necessitated by Schumer’s refusal to fund the agencies through traditional means. When California Democrat Senator Adam Schiff <a href="https://www.schiff.senate.gov/news/press-releases/news-in-new-report-sen-schiff-exposes-over-140-million-dedicated-to-ice-and-cbps-deadly-arsenal-of-weapons-and-munitions-since/">attacked</a> “multi-million-dollar surge in spending and contracts to amass deadly weapons and ammunition since the start of the second Trump administration,” in February, the DHS press office <a href="https://thelalocal.org/immigration/ice-and-border-patrol-weapons-spending-exploded-in-2025-says-new-report/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CA%20law%20enforcement%20agency%20purchasing,in%20an%20email%20to%20LAist.">responded</a>, “A law enforcement agency purchasing law enforcement officers guns and non-lethal resources — really riveting reporting.”
For Mullin, the issue isn&#8217;t just about the budget resolution — it’s about the safety of American streets. He noted that Schumer had years during the Biden administration to address the border, but instead chose to let &#8220;criminals run amok.&#8221; Now, as the Trump administration moves to arm 12,000 new agents to restore order, the Democrats are resorting to name-calling and fear-mongering.
As the budget battle moves to the House, the lines are drawn. On one side stands Schumer, decrying &#8220;lawlessness&#8221; while opposing the very funding needed to end it; on the other stands Mullin and a GOP majority finally willing to give federal agents the tools they need to do their jobs. As Mullin made clear, if Schumer wants to find the source of the &#8220;chaos&#8221; he claims to despise, he doesn&#8217;t need an oversight report — he just needs a mirror.

MixCollage-23-Apr-2026-11-05-AM-4121

‘Lying Scumbag’: Mullin Eviscerates Schumer After He Says ‘Nobody Respects’ ICE, Border Patrol

Chuck Schumer

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Markwayne Mullin

Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned Tuesday that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will run out of emergency cash by May, and said that Democrats must either agree to fund the department or explain why they want &#8220;open borders.&#8221;
President Donald Trump earlier approved emergency funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to pay Homeland Security personnel. More than two months into the DHS shutdown, that money is nearly gone.
&#8220;But that money is dried up if I continue down this path the first week of May,&#8221; Mullin said on Fox &amp; Friends Tuesday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
MULLIN says DHS will run out of emergency cash to pay his workforce at the end of April
&#8220;There&#8217;s no more money.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/KYdXI8Algt">pic.twitter.com/KYdXI8Algt</a>
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JennieSTaer/status/2046583932825612546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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DHS is shelling out more than $1.6 billion to pay its workforce every two weeks, the new secretary said, adding, &#8220;so the money is going extremely fast.&#8221;
&#8220;After we get through April, which I got two more weeks,&#8221; Mullin said. &#8220;I&#8217;ve got one payroll left, and there is no emergency funds, so the president can&#8217;t do another executive order for us to use money because there&#8217;s no more money there.&#8221;
Roughly two-thirds of DHS employees are furloughed, according to Mullin.
The Senate is expected to vote as early as this week on a budget blueprint for a reconciliation package to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). However, Republicans and Democrats have yet to reach a final agreement on a long-term funding solution.
&#8220;What the Democrats need to do is explain to the American people why they want open borders and why they don&#8217;t want to deport these illegals that are truly running our cities and running our streets. And at some point, they need to be held accountable because they&#8217;re putting the homeland at risk &#8230; because our adversaries are taking advantage of the weakness,&#8221; he said.
Senate Republicans, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), are pushing for a funding package that would extend ICE and CBP funding into the next decade, while also including defense spending, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5835883-reconciliation-dhs-fisa-warsh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The Hill.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has advocated for a &#8220;skinny&#8221; funding package that is more likely to pass both chambers, the outlet reported.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) has advocated for a &#8220;tight&#8221; bill, according to The Hill.
“Why are we trying to make this more difficult? In fact, if you’ve got a really great set of ideas, then convince Sen. Graham to create another reconciliation vehicle, and we can do it after we dispense with the matter at hand,” he said.

Untitled design – 2026-04-21T094902.185

‘We’ve Got One Payroll Left’: DHS Cash Crisis Is Closer Than You Think

Congress

Department of Homeland Security

Government Shutdown

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Politics

President Donald Trump&#8217;s acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Todd Lyons is set to leave the agency after overseeing roughly 584,000 deportations.
Lyons first shared his plans to retire with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-trumps-ice-chief-slams-liberal-judges-for-creating-deportation-roadblocks-based-on-personal-opinions?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+Trump%E2%80%99s+ICE+Chief+Slams+Liberal+Judges+For+Creating+Deportation+%E2%80%98Roadblocks%E2%80%99+Based+On+Personal+%E2%80%98Opinions%E2%80%99">The Daily Wire</a> in September, stating his departure would be in &#8220;a year or two.&#8221; In a Thursday night statement, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin called Lyons &#8220;a great leader of ICE&#8221; and a &#8220;key player in helping the Trump administration remove murderers, rapists, pedophiles, terrorists, and gang members from American communities.&#8221;
&#8220;He jumpstarted an agency that had not been allowed to do its job for four years,&#8221; Mullin said. &#8220;Thanks to his leadership, American communities are safer. We wish him luck on his next opportunity in the private sector.&#8221;
Lyons&#8217; last day at ICE will be May 31, Mullin said.
A source familiar with his departure plans told The Daily Wire that Lyons &#8220;needs a break,&#8221; but that his ultimate reason for leaving the agency was &#8220;wanting to be back with his family.&#8221;
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson wrote on X Thursday that &#8220;Todd is an American patriot who made our country safer,&#8221; adding, &#8220;The American people are deeply appreciative for his service.&#8221;
Lyons has 20 years of service with ICE and was previously in the United States Air Force.
While leading ICE, he commanded the respect of rank-and-file agents and officers. He also leaves with the respect of Trump administration officials spearheading the mass deportation campaign.
Trump&#8217;s border czar Tom Homan told Fox News that Lyons &#8220;has served selflessly as a highly respected and effective acting Director of U.S. ICE.&#8221;
&#8220;Under his leadership, ICE achieved a record number of removals in the first year of this administration, despite unprecedented challenges, delivering on the president’s promise to deport illegal aliens who have no right to be in the U.S., especially those that are public safety risks or pose a threat to our national security,&#8221; Homan said.
&#8220;I commend him for a distinguished law enforcement career and the countless contributions he has made to protect our country and advance its interests,&#8221; he added.
White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller told Fox News that &#8220;Todd is a phenomenal patriot and dedicated leader who has been at the center of President Trump’s historic efforts to secure our homeland and reverse the Democrats’ sinister border invasion.&#8221;
&#8220;His courageous work at ICE has saved countless thousands of American lives and helped deliver safety and tranquility to millions of Americans,&#8221; Miller said.

ICE Chief To Testify As Lawmakers Press For Answers On Tactics

Trump’s ICE Boss Exits After Driving One Of Largest Deportation Surges In Modern History

Deportations

Donald Trump

A Minnesota prosecutor is seeking the arrest of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.
It appears to be the first such case where local authorities have charged a federal immigration officer tied to President Donald Trump&#8217;s mass deportation campaign.
During a press conference Thursday, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced that the ICE agent now faces two counts of second-degree assault after he allegedly flashed a gun while passing a driver on the highway. There is now a warrant out for his arrest.
The Minnesota State Patrol received a 911 call in February from the alleged victims, who said a driver pulled up next to them on the shoulder of a highway and pointed a gun at them, Moriarty said.
The ICE agent appeared to be trying &#8220;to bypass slower traffic&#8221; at the time, the county attorney claimed. The other driver &#8220;briefly moved their vehicle into the shoulder to slow him down,&#8221; she said.
Moriarty said that the federal agent &#8220;was driving a rented SUV with no markings or other features to indicate that it was an ICE vehicle.&#8221; When the victim moved out of the shoulder, the agent &#8220;pulled alongside the victim&#8217;s vehicle,&#8221; before he &#8220;visibly slowed his vehicle to match the pace of the victims&#8217; vehicle, opened his window, and pointed his duty weapon directly at both victims in the other vehicle while continuing to drive illegally on the shoulder,&#8221; she said.
The driver then called 911 while the passenger began recording the incident on video, according to Moriarty.
State troopers later identified an ICE agent as the driver and interviewed him at the agency&#8217;s office in Minneapolis, the county attorney said.
The agent &#8220;admitted that he was driving the rented SUV and he and his partner were headed to the Whipple building to end their shift&#8221; and &#8220;that he drew his firearm after the victims&#8217; vehicle had already rejoined the normal flow of traffic,&#8221; Moriarty said.
In his statement, the agent also allegedly said &#8220;he yelled &#8216;police'&#8221; at the victims. But the windows of the victims&#8217; vehicle, Moriarty said, &#8220;were rolled up and they couldn&#8217;t hear&#8221; it.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) didn&#8217;t respond to The Daily Wire&#8217;s request for comment on the charges.
The typical jail time for each of the charges against the ICE agent is 36 months in prison, Moriarty said.
The charges follow the federal withdrawal of hundreds of federal immigration agents from Minneapolis. President Donald Trump sent his border czar Tom Homan to initiate the drawdown in January, replacing the former Border Patrol sector chief Gregory Bovino, who was known for his aggressive tactics.
Homan&#8217;s arrival came after the fatal shootings by federal immigration agents of anti-ICE activists Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis that sparked weeks of protests. The shootings also resulted in the mass mobilization of ICE watch groups that followed federal agents and outed their locations.
During Thursday&#8217;s press conference, Moriarty recalled the Good and Pretti shootings. She also said there&#8217;s no indication the victims were part of ICE watch groups.
Moriarty characterized the accused agent&#8217;s &#8220;conduct&#8221; as &#8220;extremely dangerous,&#8221; adding that it &#8220;could&#8217;ve led to another disastrous incident in a community that has already suffered too many.&#8221;
&#8220;Our community is still navigating the effects of the federal occupation,&#8221; she said.
Asked if she&#8217;s concerned about &#8220;federal blowback&#8221; over the case, Moriarty said &#8220;it&#8217;s not a concern of ours.&#8221;

Untitled design – 2026-04-16T153233.670

Blue State Prosecutor Issues Arrest Warrant For ICE Agent

Minneapolis

Minnesota

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Wednesday that the Biden administration knew the man suspected of murdering a DHS employee had a checkered criminal history, but granted him citizenship anyway.
Mullin said that 26-year-old Olaolukitan Adon Abel had an established criminal pattern before he was granted citizenship in 2022 by the Biden administration. Abel was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dhs-employee-murdered-while-walking-dog-as-biden-era-naturalized-suspect-emerges?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=DHS+Employee+Murdered+While+Walking+Dog+As+Biden-Era+Naturalized+Suspect+Emerges">arrested</a> earlier this week for murdering 40-year-old DHS employee Lauren Bullis in DeKalb County, Georgia, while she was out walking her dog.
“This individual not just had a pattern of criminal activity, but his pattern was every April. Every April, he had escalated his criminal activity, and the Biden administration knew this, law enforcement knew this, and they decided not to just deport him, but they allowed him to become a citizen, and then he escalated it to the point he did now,” Mullin said during an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Lauren Bullis, a DHS employee, was shot and stabbed while she was walking her dog by a citizen naturalized by the Biden administration.
This horrific incident is a devastating loss for the entire DHS community.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecMullinDHS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecMullinDHS</a> <a href="https://t.co/3QyPIbffEG">pic.twitter.com/3QyPIbffEG</a>
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/2044565998028656938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Abel was arrested on Monday after police said that he went on a random killing spree that left Bullis and another woman dead, and a homeless man seriously injured. Bullis was shot and stabbed while out walking her dog Monday morning.
Born in the United Kingdom, Abel has an extensive criminal history including convictions for sexual battery, battery against a police officer, obstruction, assault with a deadly weapon, and vandalism.
Mullin said it did not appear to be a targeted killing, but said there must have been some connection to the month of April.
“So the question is, why April? There must have been something in his life that was triggering April, that he was acting out, but there was a direct pattern to it,” he said.
Bullis worked in the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security as an auditor.
“In every role she held, Lauren exemplified dedication to the OIG mission. Lauren approached her work with integrity, thoughtfulness, and a commitment to excellence that strengthened our organization and the communities we serve,” DHS <a href="https://x.com/DHSgov/status/2044473024808948076">said</a> Wednesday. “Beyond her professional accomplishments, Lauren was a bright spot for so many of the DHS community. She brought warmth, kindness, and a genuine sense of care to her colleagues each day.”

IMG_2029

Mullin Slams Biden’s Green Light For DHS Murder Suspect Despite Criminal Past

Crime

Illegal Immigration

Immigration

Joe Biden

U.S.

United Kingdom

The Trump administration is considering a new plan to pressure sanctuary cities to change their ways.
In his first interview since his confirmation, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Monday that he&#8217;s weighing pulling Customs officers from major airports in sanctuary cities to force them to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. The move would effectively prevent international travel through those airports.
&#8220;I believe sanctuary cities is not lawful,&#8221; Mullin told Fox News&#8217; Bret Baier. &#8220;I don&#8217;t think they&#8217;re able to do that, and so we&#8217;re gonna take a hard look at this.&#8221;
He pointed specifically to international airports as a potential pressure point.
&#8220;If they&#8217;re sanctuary cities, should they really be processing Customs into their city?&#8221; Mullin asked. &#8220;If they&#8217;re a sanctuary city and they&#8217;re receiving international flights, and we&#8217;re asking them to partner with us at the airport, but once they walk out of the airport they&#8217;re not gonna enforce immigration policy, maybe we need to have a really hard look at that because we need to focus on cities that want to work with us.&#8221;
President Donald Trump&#8217;s immigration enforcement effort has targeted some sanctuary cities by flooding them with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and Border Patrol agents. One such operation took place in Chicago last year, where local authorities were restricted from working with ICE.
Mullin suggested the potential policy change comes alongside broader resource constraints and political battles in Washington, including a partial government shutdown over Democrats&#8217; demands to dramatically reform ICE.
&#8220;We&#8217;re gonna have to start prioritizing things at some point,&#8221; Mullin said.
&#8220;Right now, a number of the Democrats are wanting to defund Customs and Border Patrol. Well, who processes those individuals when they walk off a plane? And so I&#8217;m gonna have to be forced to make hard decisions,&#8221; he added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Mullin: I believe sanctuary cities is not lawful. Some of these cities have international airports. If they are a sanctuary city, should they really be processing customs into their city? We need to have a really hard look at that.
Baier: So you are saying that big cities that… <a href="https://t.co/UAJxWFZtZI">pic.twitter.com/UAJxWFZtZI</a>
— Acyn (@Acyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/2041279294325071987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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During his confirmation hearing last month, Mullin offered a willingness to implement &#8220;a better approach&#8221; for ICE, saying he “would love to see&#8221; the agency &#8220;become a transport more than the frontline.”
“If we can get back into just simply working with law enforcement, we’re going to them and we’re picking up these criminals from their jail. One, we’re gonna reimburse them for having the person there, and that partnership is vitally important,” he said.

Sanctuary_cities_airports

Sanctuary Cities Warned To Put Americans First Or Lose Critical Airport Lifeline

Sanctuary Cities

Zohran Mamdani

More than six years after overstaying his tourist visa, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela allegedly tried to murder a man on a Long Island beach last month, The Daily Wire has learned.
Ruben Guanipa Ramirez, 26, allegedly drove an acquaintance to Gilgo Beach, a remote location where he attacked him from behind, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney&#8217;s office. The Venezuelan national allegedly shoved a black cloth into his victim&#8217;s mouth while stabbing him in the left side and attempting to slit his throat.
Ramirez picked up the man from his Queens home before the two ended up playing pool at Sport Billiard Pool Hall, the DA&#8217;s office said. The Venezuelan national then allegedly drove his victim to Jones Beach and then Gilgo Beach, where the attack occurred.
Ramirez attacked when the two were walking back to the car, according to prosecutors. The victim was able to wrestle the knife out of Ramirez&#8217;s hands, resulting in defensive wounds.
The victim was able to drive off in Ramirez&#8217;s car, leaving his alleged attacker on the side of the road, and call 911. He then went to his friend&#8217;s house in Queens, where he was met by police and an ambulance, which transported him to a nearby hospital.
Police arrested Ramirez later that same day after spotting him walking along the Long Island Expressway in Nassau County, prosecutors said.
Authorities later discovered three kitchen knives, one of which was covered in blood, along with rope, duct tape, blankets, plastic drop cloths, a large-wheeled bag, gloves, and a boxcutter inside Ramirez&#8217;s car.
Ramirez came to the United States in June 2019 on a B-2 tourist visa, which required him to leave the country by December of that year, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire — but he never left.
Now, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is pressuring authorities in New York not to release the illegal immigrant. The district attorney in Suffolk County, Raymond Tierney, has condemned the state&#8217;s sanctuary laws and recently used a loophole to have ICE pick up a child rape suspect from Guatemala, according to Fox News.
“Ruben Guanipa Ramirez is a dangerous criminal illegal alien who violently stabbed his victim and attempted to slit his throat,” Acting DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement on Monday. “ICE lodged an arrest detainer requesting Long Island not release this attempted murder from jail without notifying ICE.&#8221;
&#8220;We need more state and local law enforcement to work with ICE to get criminals out of our neighborhoods. This attempted murderer will never be loose on American streets again. Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, DHS has unleashed ICE to target dangerous criminal illegal aliens, like Ruben Guanipa Ramirez, to put the safety of Americans first,&#8221; Bis added.

Untitled design – 2026-04-06T150935.889

He Overstayed His Visa For Years. Now He Stands Accused Of A Brutal Attack.

Murder

New York

Late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel defended his jabs at newly-sworn-in Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, saying that his intent had not been to insult plumbers, only to say that he didn&#8217;t believe Mullin was qualified to hold his current post.
Kimmel began by blaming President Donald Trump for the backlash he&#8217;d received, noting that Trump had complained about him while &#8220;The Five&#8221; on Fox News earlier that day.
&#8220;[The president&#8217;s] apple polishers are all in a tizzy because I made light of the fact that his new head of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, before he was a senator, was a plumber,&#8221; Kimmel said, and then he doubled down. &#8220;And now he&#8217;s the head of Homeland Security. Which is not necessarily the kind of resume you might hope for, for the person in charge of protecting us from terrorism.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Jimmy Kimmel tried to clean up his comments about Markwayne Mullin being a former plumber, but he tried to have it both ways. First he doubled down ignoring Mullin&#8217;s management experience with his plumbing company &#8220;[Trump&#8217;s] apple polishers are all in a tizzy because I made light… <a href="https://t.co/3zqd1AG6r9">pic.twitter.com/3zqd1AG6r9</a>
— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) <a href="https://twitter.com/alexchristy17/status/2037514802621305124?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Listen, let me make this very clear: I&#8217;m not upset that the head of homeland security used to be a plumber,&#8221; Kimmel said on Thursday&#8217;s broadcast. &#8220;I&#8217;m upset that he isn&#8217;t still a plumber.&#8221;
&#8220;Of course [conservatives] decided to twist that to say it was an insult to plumbers, which it was not,&#8221; Kimmel continued, saying that he had meant to draw attention to Mullin&#8217;s qualifications. &#8220;I wouldn&#8217;t put a plumber in charge of homeland security for the same reason I wouldn&#8217;t call a five-star general to pull a rat out of my toilet &#8230; We all have our areas of expertise.&#8221;
Kimmel went even further, suggesting that what he was doing was no different from those who were critical of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez — who previously worked as a bartender — and suggested that she was more qualified to serve drinks than to serve in Congress.
&#8220;Well, on behalf of bartenders everywhere, we anxiously await your apology,&#8221; he said.
What Kimmel left out — both in his initial comments about <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jimmy-kimmel-mocks-markwayne-mullins-blue-collar-roots">Mullin</a> and the follow up — was that Mullin went to work at his family&#8217;s plumbing business at just 20 years old, leaving college to take over due to his father&#8217;s illness. He proceeded to take the small family business and expand it to a multi-million dollar enterprise.

Kimmel Mullin Blendy

Kimmel Responds To Backlash Over Mullin Plumber Dig

Jimmy Kimmel

Media

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, the quintessential avatar of Hollywood’s detached elite, recently took to the airwaves to demonstrate exactly why &#8220;flyover country&#8221; has tuned him out.
In a segment dripping with the kind of coastal condescension that has become his trademark, Kimmel mocked President Donald Trump’s selection of Markwayne Mullin to lead the Department of Homeland Security, sneering at Mullin’s background as a business owner and tradesman.
Kimmel, whose primary life skill involves reading teleprompters in a climate-controlled studio, took aim at Mullin’s blue-collar roots.
&#8220;Before he was elected to the Senate, Markwayne Mullin was a low-level MMA fighter and a plumber,&#8221; Kimmel smirked, before launching into a hackneyed Super Mario joke. &#8220;We have a plumber protecting us from terrorism now.&#8221;
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Jimmy Kimmel doesn&#39;t think Markwayne Mullin is qualified to be the Secretary of Homeland Security because he used to be plumber, &quot;Before he was elected to the Senate, Markwayne Mullin was a low-level MMA fighter and a plumber. That&#39;s right. We have a plumber protecting us from… <a href="https://t.co/KT81mBIUOV">pic.twitter.com/KT81mBIUOV</a>
&mdash; Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) <a href="https://twitter.com/alexchristy17/status/2036791893686726762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The irony is apparently lost on Kimmel: while he spent his youth chasing laughs in the entertainment industry, Mullin was overcoming actual adversity. Born with a clubfoot that required multiple surgeries, Mullin eventually earned a wrestling scholarship and, at just 20 years old, took over his father’s struggling plumbing business. He didn&#8217;t just &#8220;fix pipes&#8221;; he built one of the largest service companies in the region, illustrating the exact kind of American grit and managerial competence that is foreign to the halls of ABC.
Mullin isn&#8217;t just a &#8220;plumber,&#8221; though that is an honorable profession Kimmel clearly views as a punchline. He is a former five-term congressman, a U.S. senator, and an undefeated professional fighter.
This isn’t Kimmel’s first foray into elitist snobbery. Whether he is mocking Melania Trump’s accent, suggesting that unvaccinated Americans should &#8220;rest in peace, wheezy,&#8221; or dismissing the struggles of rural workers during government shutdowns, Kimmel’s track record is one of consistent disdain for the working class.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) hit the nail on the head, responding to the monologue by noting, &#8220;I prefer plumbers to woke and unfunny comedians.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I prefer plumbers to woke &amp; unfunny comedians. <a href="https://t.co/3nUseOoluy">https://t.co/3nUseOoluy</a>
&mdash; Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) <a href="https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/2036895113230623082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Indeed, for the millions of Americans who actually work with their hands to keep this country running, Kimmel’s &#8220;Super Mario&#8221; routine isn&#8217;t just unfunny — it’s a reminder that the Hollywood elite view the backbone of the country as nothing more than a series of low-brow caricatures. While Kimmel plays dress-up for a living, men like Mullin are actually prepared to do the heavy lifting.

Jimmy Kimmel Mocks Markwayne Mullin’s Blue-Collar Roots

Oklahoma Republican Governor Kevin Stitt announced on Tuesday that longtime energy executive Alan Armstrong will replace Markwayne Mullin in the Senate following Mullin&#8217;s confirmation as Homeland Security Secretary.
Armstrong is a political outsider who has spent his career at Williams Companies, a major oil and gas company based in Tulsa. After introducing Armstrong at a <a href="https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1mxPaLjkLQYKN">press conference</a>, Stitt said that Oklahoma&#8217;s new senator &#8220;is strongly aligned with President Trump on energy policy,&#8221; adding that &#8220;few people have done more to champion [the] America First agenda to keep Oklahoma at the center of domestic production.&#8221;
The Tulsa oil and gas executive will only serve in the Senate for the remainder of Mullin&#8217;s term, which ends in January 2027. Oklahoma law requires Senate appointees to sign an affidavit vowing not to run for a full term, and Trump has endorsed Congressman Kevin Hern to run for the seat in November.
Armstrong said he is entering the Senate at a &#8220;critical&#8221; time in American history, especially regarding energy and infrastructure.
&#8220;You travel around the world these days and you realize we are falling behind on being the leaders in infrastructure,&#8221; Armstrong said, adding, &#8220;The truth is, it&#8217;s gotten very, very hard to build large-scale infrastructure, and it is so critical to our country&#8217;s competitiveness in the long-term.&#8221;
Armstrong <a href="https://www.constellationenergy.com/about/leadership/alan-armstrong.html">began</a> working at Williams Companies nearly 40 years ago as an engineer and worked his way to the top, becoming the energy company&#8217;s president and CEO in 2011. He retired from the CEO role in 2025 and became the executive chairman of the board of directors at Williams Companies.
Armstrong&#8217;s decades of expertise leading one of America&#8217;s largest oil and gas companies and focus on U.S. energy independence fits neatly with President Trump&#8217;s goals to rejuvenate the country&#8217;s energy sector. The oil and gas executive said the issue he wants to address the most in the Senate is permitting reform.
&#8220;What&#8217;s caught my attention is it&#8217;s hard for any kind of infrastructure to get built, and that really is holding our country back,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And I really want to make sure that we really have meaningful permitting reform.&#8221;
Along with focusing on energy, Armstrong told reporters that &#8220;there are a lot of important policy issues&#8221; in the Republican Party agenda and vowed that he &#8220;will be there to support that.&#8221; Armstrong recently met with Trump and said the president showed support for his appointment to the Senate. Armstrong has also worked on energy issues with Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, which he said &#8220;was pretty important&#8221; in gaining Trump&#8217;s support.
Oklahoma has been one of the most pro-Trump states in the country and was the only state where Trump won every county in the 2024 election. Trump, however, recently expressed frustration with Stitt, the chair of the National Governors Association, over a dispute about whether Democratic governors would be invited to the National Governors Association gathering at the White House in February.
Stitt suggested that Trump would be excluding Democratic governors from the meeting, but Trump shot back, calling Stitt a &#8220;RINO&#8221; and a &#8220;wise guy&#8221; who &#8220;incorrectly stated my position&#8221; on which governors were invited to the White House. The Oklahoma governor <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/13/stitt-and-trump-patch-things-up-00828775">reportedly</a> met with Trump earlier this month and cleared the air over the dispute.

Alan Armstrong/Markwayne Mullin

Red State Governor Reveals Key Senate Replacement After DHS Shakeup

Oklahoma Governor Reveals Senate Replacement For DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin

Oklahoma

Senate

The Senate confirmed Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to be the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on Monday night.
The vote was 54-45 largely along party lines, but Democratic Sens. Martin Heinrich and John Fetterman voted to confirm him and Republican Sen. Rand Paul voted against his confirmation. Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego did not vote.
Secretary Kristi Noem will leave the department on March 31, and she will be headed to a new role as special envoy for the “Shield of the Americas.” Noem’s exit from the department came amid multiple controversies regarding ad spending and federal immigration enforcement.
Mullin could be taking over the department at a pivotal time, as it has faced a lapse in funding since mid-February over the Trump administration’s immigration tactics through ICE. As TSA, Coast Guard, and FEMA fall under the DHS umbrella, many of those essential workers have been required to work without receiving a paycheck.
Reactions poured in over his confirmation, including in Congress.
“As a conservative warrior with a proven track record of supporting President Trump’s agenda, Markwayne Mullin will lead the Department of Homeland Security with dogged determination and zeal for enforcing our nation’s immigration laws,&#8221; Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said in a statement.
&#8220;At a time when the danger to American soil is heightened and Democrats continue to hold funding for this vital agency hostage, we need a strong hand at the helm more than ever. I have every confidence Markwayne is up to the task, and I look forward to working with him in this new role to protect and defend the homeland and support America First,&#8221; he added.
While Republicans have largely been pleased with Trump&#8217;s pick, Democrats have largely taken a sharply tone.
&#8220;After Kristi Noem’s disastrous time as Secretary of Homeland Security, we need a steady, level-headed leader who will focus on protecting our homeland while ensuring ICE officers follow the same standards as other law enforcement officials,&#8221; Sen. Jacky Rosen posted to X on Sunday afternoon.
&#8220;Markwayne Mullin has made clear his number one priority is pleasing Donald Trump, including by voting against paying TSA agents during this Republican shutdown. That’s unacceptable and it’s one of the reasons why I voted against him as Secretary of Homeland Security,&#8221; she continued.

Mullin To Face Senate Scrutiny Over Ability To Lead Behemoth DHS

Markwayne Mullin Confirmed As Next Homeland Security Secretary

A Democrat’s vote to move forward with the confirmation of President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security was considered a surprise, and it garnered some backlash on the Left.
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) voted to allow Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to advance to the final step in the confirmation process to become the next DHS secretary, succeeding Secretary Kristi Noem. Heinrich and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) are the only two Democrats who voted in favor of Mullin, who’s expected to be confirmed later on Monday.
“This is going to surprise some people, but I consider Markwayne Mullin a friend. We have a very honest and constructive working relationship. We have authored legislation together, such as the Tribal Buffalo Management Act, and we crafted the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill together this year. We often disagree and when we do, we work to find whatever common ground we share,” Heinrich said in a statement on Sunday.
“I have also seen first-hand that Markwayne is not someone who can simply be bullied into changing his views, and I look forward to having a Secretary who doesn’t take their orders from Stephen Miller,” he said.
The senator said that even though New Mexico is a border state, he has not had “any constructive relationship” with the DHS secretaries during the current and previous Trump administration.
“I want someone who recognizes the necessity of judicial warrants, as he has. I would like a Secretary who I can call and have a constructive conversation with about my state and the unique terrain that exists in the southwest and the proper mix of structure, technology and personnel necessary to effectively secure our border,” the Democrat continued.
In a press release, his office noted that he’s previously called for Noem to be fired, did not vote for her confirmation, and that he wants to see changes made to federal immigration enforcement.
On social media, Heinrich garnered some controversy over his decision to support the Oklahoma Republican.
“Who gives a frog’s fat ass if Sen Heinrich likes Mullin personally? His job is to ensure the nominees in Trump’s administration are qualified. Mullin lacks experience, is combative and impulsive, and will push DHS in a more aggressive, politicized direction,” Shannon Watts, founder emerita of Moms Demand Action, posted to X.
Heinrich has also weighed into multiple Senate races, including endorsing Texas State Rep. James Talarico, Maine veteran Graham Platner, and Michigan State Sen. Mallory McMorrow – and The Daily Wire reached out to each campaign on whether they would also support Mullin&#8217;s nomination.
A spokesperson for Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who’s backed by Heinrich in her competitive Senate primary, stated that “no, she would not vote to confirm Mullin.&#8221;
As for Fetterman, he had clearly stated his support for Mullin prior to the procedural vote.
“In January, I called on the president to fire Noem—and he did. I truly approached the confirmation of my colleague and friend, Senator Mullin, with an open-mind,” he posted to X last week. “We need a leader at DHS. We must reopen DHS.”
“My AYE is rooted in a strong committed, constructive working relationship with Senator Mullin for our nation’s security,” he added.
The Department of Homeland Security remains largely unfunded, as Democrats and Republicans are attempting to work out a deal to fund DHS while possibly making federal immigration enforcement changes. However, other agencies within the DHS umbrella, like TSA, have been caught in the crosshairs, leading to hundreds of TSA agents quitting and long lines at major airports nationwide.

Senate Holds Confirmation Hearing For DHS Secretary Nominee Markwayne Mullin

Democrat Makes ‘Surprise’ Break From Party On Major Homeland Security Vote

U.S. Senate

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