14 hours ago
4
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.
Markwayne Mullin is working to overcome hard-liners’ doubts about his leadership, his position undermined by missteps with the White House.
By Hamed Aleaziz and Zolan Kanno-Youngs
Hamed Aleaziz covers immigration issues, and Zolan Kanno-Youngs reports on the White House and the Trump administration.
Sept. 20, 2026, 5:03 a.m. ET
In recent weeks, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has positioned himself as the unapologetic voice of the Trump administration’s deportation campaign.
“Good morning, America. 🇺🇸 @DHSgov is revving up the deportation flights before the sun is even up,” he wrote on social media recently.
But nearly six months into his tenure, Mr. Mullin has struggled to overcome doubts about his leadership, particularly among hard-liners in President Trump’s base. Despite toughening his language on immigration — and he has increased arrests and detentions — many influential conservatives still see him as too soft on the issue. And the White House has broken with him on several significant issues, further undermining his standing.
Most recently, the White House withdrew the nomination of Mr. Mullin’s ally and senior adviser Lance Schroyer for ICE director, less than three months after Mr. Trump announced his selection. The White House pulled the nomination without explanation.
Tom Homan, Mr. Trump’s border czar, had been frustrated with Mr. Mullin’s attempts to advocate for Mr. Schroyer’s nomination, according to two people familiar with the matter speaking on the condition of anonymity. Mr. Homan did not think Mr. Schroyer, who had no ICE experience, was qualified to lead the agency, the people said. Mr. Homan is known to back the current acting ICE head, David Venturella, who served for years in roles at the agency.
D.H.S. did not respond to a request for comment, nor did the White House.
Image
