Mullin Vows to Fight "365 Days" with Unpaid DHS Staff Amid Funding Row

Mullin made the remarks after being sworn in at the Oval Office by Attorney General Pam Bondi, taking charge of the department at a time of political deadlock over funding in Congress.

"I got the privilege of meeting so many of the employees at DHS," Mullin said. "These employees have been there for 30 days without pay."

He said their continued service reflected commitment to national security. "If you need anything to know their dedication to show up and still protect the homeland that you and I enjoy and the freedoms that we're experiencing," he said. "They're working for free because of political politics."

Mullin said he would match that commitment. "As you're fighting 365 days, understand I'll be fighting 365 days beside you," he said.

He also outlined his personal approach to the job. "No one's going to outwork me, and I'm not going to let any of them outwork me," Mullin said. "The president has entrusted me with this, and failure is not an option."

The Oklahoma Republican struck a unifying tone, saying his role would be non-partisan. "I don't care what color your state is, I don't care if you're red or blue," he said. "At the end of the day, my job is to be Secretary of Homeland and to protect everybody the same."

President Donald Trump, who presided over the ceremony, praised Mullin as a "great American patriot" and said he would lead the department with strength and fairness.

Trump also used the occasion to criticise Democrats over the funding standoff, saying the department had been "shut down" after lawmakers "blocked all funding for DHS".

The president linked the funding dispute to broader policy differences on immigration and enforcement, accusing Democrats of trying to shield "illegal alien criminals, gang members".

He said the administration would continue efforts to remove such individuals from the country. "Every single illegal migrant who has a criminal record must be deported immediately," Trump said.

During the event, Trump also highlighted his administration's record on border security. He said the United States had created "the most secure border in the United States history" and achieved "the largest drop in illegal immigration ever recorded".

Mullin's appointment marks a transition in leadership at the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees border enforcement, immigration, transportation security and disaster response.

Created after the September 11, 2001 attacks, DHS is one of the largest federal departments and plays a central role in domestic security.

Mullin, who has served in Congress for more than a decade, has been a close ally of Trump and an advocate for stricter border enforcement and immigration controls.

- IANS