Markwayne Mullin is conservative, Christian, Cherokee, and the new head of DHS

Markwayne Mullin is conservative, Christian, Cherokee, and the new head of DHS

From Code Switch by NPR

March 25, 2026 · 35 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the implications of Markwayne Mullin's confirmation as the head of the Department of Homeland Security.

On Monday, Sen. Markwayne Mullin was confirmed as the newest head of the Department of Homeland Security, replacing Kristi Noem. It's an enormously consequential role that involves taking charge of ICE, border patrol, and TSA. And Mullin is an interesting choice for the role — he's a conservative, Christian citizen of Cherokee nation, known both for his ability to reach across the aisle, and for being a political firebrand. So today on the show, we're asking: What will Markwayne Mullin's leadership of DHS mean for Indian Country? And what will it mean for the nation as a whole? See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Topics covered

  • politics
  • government
  • Indian Country
  • leadership
  • DHS

Keywords

  • Markwayne Mullin
  • Department of Homeland Security
  • ICE
  • border patrol
  • TSA
  • Cherokee nation
  • political firebrand

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Indian Country

More episodes of Code Switch

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Code Switch podcast page.