EDITORIAL: Secretary Markwayne Mullin is making America safer and stronger

One of the best decisions President Trump has made in his second term was selecting Markwayne Mullin to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Just look at DHS’s record since Secretary Mullin took over to get a clear picture of how he has already made America safer with his calm, steady leadership.

First off, DHS is one of the most toughest jobs in the Administration. Secretary Mullin oversees border security, immigration enforcement, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, the Secret Service, the Coast Guard, and dozens of other responsibilities that touch nearly every aspect of national security. And he oversees these functions as the Democratic party and the institutional left has declared war on immigration enforcement with literally thousands of lawsuits directed against the government.

To do this role well requires someone who can make decisions, manage a massive organization, and never lose sight of the department’s core mission of security.

Secretary Mullin has done exactly that.

Just look at the monumental successes since Mullin started int he role. The USCIS changed the asylum rules to reduce backlog and reduce the rates of fraud. ICE has been arresting violent criminals every day across the country. DHS has issues more than $84 billion (yes, billion) in fines to illegal aliens who refuse to leave. And FIFA was a smashing success with no security incidents.

The contrast with just a few months ago is striking. Today, the department looks focused on enforcement and public safety. There is little drama. Even those who disagree with the Administration’s approach to securing the border seem to have little to complain about with regards to Secretary Mullin’s tenure.

Just as importantly, the department has become more transparent about what it is accomplishing. DHS is regularly publishing operational updates that allow the public to judge its performance for themselves.

Our sources on the Hill tell us they are deeply impressed with how Secretary Mullin has engaged them. As one put it: “He’s fully transparent and completely trusted.”

At the Washington Reporter, we have long argued that the Administration should be judged by whether it fulfills its basic responsibilities — and by the data. Homeland Security’s first responsibility is straightforward: keep Americans safe and enforce the law.

Secretary Mullin understands that mission. More importantly, he has organized the department around it.

After just a few months, DHS looks more focused, more confident, and more effective than it has in years.

That is good news for the department, good news for the Administration, and, most importantly, good news for the country. Secretary Mullin deserves our thanks.