Hearing Report: Secretary Mullin Testified, Sometimes Combatively, About DHS’ FY27 Priorities

June 2, 2026

This afternoon, Secretary Markwayne Mullin testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security about the department’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request, his priorities, and his vision for the upcoming years. At times the hearing was very combative and included finger-pointing over which party was responsible for repeated DHS shutdowns this fiscal year.

Highlights from the hearing:

• CBP Officers in Airports: Secretary Mullin faced backlash about recent reports on his plan to remove Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers stationed at airports in sanctuary cities. During Ranking Member Chris Murphy’s (D-CT) opening statement, he noted that Secretary Mullin “has spent the first two months of his tenure threatening to suspend international arrivals in states represented by Democrats. Not only would that throw our entire air system into chaos, but it is also completely illegal.” Murphy went on to stress that the law does not give the Secretary the right to close international travel in states that don’t have the same leanings as “your political party.” Mullin disputed this, stating that DHS employees are “just simply enforcing the law.” Later in the hearing, Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) stated that “it was insane to propose to withdraw CBP officers from airports”, noting that “this is dangerous and would result in economic crisis for both blue and red states.”
  
  
• Privatization of Screeners at Smaller Airports: Subcommittee Chair Katie Britt (R-AL) raised a question about the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) role in the future, noting that “the budget request has a significant drawdown in staff with expectations that fewer staff would be needed because smaller airports would be compelled to join the screening partnership program.” She asked if TSA was moving towards serving as a regulator of security rather than performing security screening functions. The Secretary did not directly answer her question. Instead, he responded that during the shutdown, airports with private screeners did not experience any service challenges because those personnel continued to be paid. He wants to build on this success with the private sector and referenced TSA’s Gold+ concept, which expands the screening partnership model to incorporate new technologies and maintenance.
  
  However, the Secretary’s written statement highlights the budget proposal “that will move all Category III and IV airports into the Screening Partnership Program and set the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on the path to privatization.” The statement goes on to say that “the President’s Budget advances a more cost-effective and efficient model at TSA, which emphasizes oversight, risk-based policy, and technology deployment while maintaining security standards…Key initiatives prioritize security technology, improving passenger experience, optimizing operations, and strengthening privatized airport screening to meet evolving mission needs and increase efficiency, all in alignment with national security and operational priorities.”
• Personnel: According to Secretary Mullin, the biggest challenge at DHS currently is the loss of personnel and the poor morale of those who remained and worked without pay multiple times during this fiscal year. DHS has lost eight percent of its personnel since October 1. Repeated shutdowns, as well as the threat of future shutdowns, make it difficult to hire new employees.

Additional Details:

To watch the hearing and/or read the Secretary's written statement, please use this link.