President Donald Trump has fired Kristi Noem as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary and immediately named Senator Markwayne Mullin as her replacement, effective March 31, 2026.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump on Thursday, March 5, said Noem would transition to a new role as Special Envoy for “The Shield of the Americas,” a Western Hemisphere security initiative set to be unveiled Saturday in Doral, Florida.
“I am pleased to announce that the highly respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026,” Trump wrote.
“The current Secretary, Kristi Noem, who has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!), will be moving to be Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida. I thank Kristi for her service at “Homeland.”
Trump praised Mullin’s record in Congress and highlighted his political alignment with the administration’s immigration and border enforcement agenda.
“A MAGA Warrior, and former undefeated professional MMA fighter, Markwayne truly gets along well with people, and knows the Wisdom and Courage required to Advance our America First Agenda,” Trump wrote, adding that Mullin would “Keep our Border Secure” and “MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN.”
Mullin is a former House member who later joined the Senate and will lead one of the federal government’s largest departments.
He will be overseeing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Secret Service, the Coast Guard, cybersecurity operations and intelligence analysis.
The shake-up comes just days after DHS released a sweeping report touting what it described as “historic progress in keeping the Homeland secure.”
Noem, who became the eighth Secretary of Homeland Security in 2025 after serving as Governor of South Dakota, presided over a sweeping overhaul of immigration enforcement and border operations during Trump’s first year back in office.
DHS claims nearly 3 million migrants have left under Noem
According to a DHS release dated February 24, 2026, nearly 3 million illegal immigrants left the United States over the past 13 months, including an estimated 2.2 million self-deportations and more than 713,000 formal deportations.
“Over the last 13 months, nearly 3 million illegal aliens have left the U.S. because of the Trump Administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, including an estimated 2.2 million self-deportations and more than 713,000 deportations.”
The statement further claimed that total southwest border apprehensions during Trump’s first year — 90,084 — were “lower than a single average month under the Biden administration.”
DHS said daily encounters declined by 95 percent, averaging roughly 250 per day compared to more than 5,100 previously. It also stated that for the past nine months, the U.S. Border Patrol “has released zero illegal aliens into the country.”
Under Noem’s tenure, DHS reported large-scale interior enforcement operations conducted by ICE and CBP across major cities nationwide.
The department stated:
- “Nearly 3 million illegal aliens are out of the country.”
- ICE arrested over 1,538 known or suspected terrorists, with 1,534 removed.
- 49,740 “special interest aliens” were arrested.
- 7,808 gang members were apprehended, including 1,232 linked to Tren de Aragua and 1,271 associated with MS-13.
DHS described the arrests as targeting “the Worst of the Worst Illegal Aliens and Criminals,” including gang members, rapists, kidnappers and drug traffickers.
The agency also announced the launch of a new public-facing website titled “Worst of the Worst” allowing users to search individuals arrested during enforcement operations.
Border wall and drug seizures
The department credited the passage of a $65 billion border security law — referred to as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” — with accelerating construction of what it calls a Smart Wall system.
According to DHS, $46.5 billion is being used to construct steel bollard barriers, layered fencing, surveillance technology and lighting infrastructure. More than $13.6 billion in contracts have already been awarded.
On drug enforcement, CBP reported seizing 617,648 pounds of illicit narcotics nationwide over the past year, including:
- 10,915 pounds of fentanyl
- 186,359 pounds of methamphetamine
The U.S. Coast Guard, which operates under DHS, reported intercepting more than 547,000 pounds of narcotics valued at $3.9 billion and preventing over 12,000 illegal maritime crossings.
DHS also pointed to aggressive reforms at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Operation Twin Shield, described as the agency’s largest fraud investigation to date, examined more than 1,000 cases with fraud indicators and conducted over 2,000 site visits.
The department said USCIS issued nearly 230,000 Notices to Appear initiating removal proceedings since January 2025.
Additionally, DHS announced it had located 145,000 unaccompanied children previously categorized as “lost” under the prior administration.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for multiple countries was terminated, and several humanitarian parole programs were ended.
Counterterrorism
TSA screened 2.5 billion bags during Trump’s first year and achieved 94 percent REAL ID compliance nationwide.
FEMA reforms included terminating 118 contracts, generating $31.2 million in savings and $82 million in cost avoidance, according to the DHS report.
The agency also claimed to have reduced the time between state funding requests and obligation by 160 days compared to the previous year.
The Office of Intelligence and Analysis nominated more than 5,000 individuals to the terrorist watchlist since January 2025, DHS stated.
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