# Nebraska AG Hilgers backs Mullin for Homeland Security post  
**Published:** 2026-04-17T16:22:08.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Attorney General](https://ago.nebraska.gov/news/ag-hilgers-joins-letter-supporting-nomination-senator-markwayne-mullin-secretary-department)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/nebraska-ag-hilgers-backs-mullin-for-homeland-security-post

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers has joined fellow state attorneys general in signing a letter supporting the nomination of U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin to serve as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, according to [a statement released by his office](https://ago.nebraska.gov/news/ag-hilgers-joins-letter-supporting-nomination-senator-markwayne-mullin-secretary-department) on March 16.

The Oklahoma Republican's nomination advanced following his confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on March 18. [The Senate confirmed Mullin's nomination on March 24 in a bipartisan vote of 54-45](https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/03/24/us-senate-confirms-markwayne-mullin-secretary-department-homeland-security), with two Democrats joining all 52 Republicans in supporting his appointment.

[Mullin takes the helm of DHS amid an ongoing shutdown that has left approximately 100,000 of the department's workforce without pay](https://www.npr.org/2026/03/23/g-s1-114813/markwayne-mullin-confirmed-homeland-security), tasked with overseeing immigration enforcement and border security policies that are central to President Trump's second-term agenda. [He was sworn in by President Trump on March 24](https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/03/24/us-senate-confirms-markwayne-mullin-secretary-department-homeland-security).

Prior to his confirmation, [Mullin served in the Senate for three years after previously representing Oklahoma's 2nd Congressional District in the House for a decade](https://ballotpedia.org/2026/03/24/markwayne-mullin-confirmed-as-secretary-of-homeland-security/). Before entering politics, [he was a successful businessman who owned multiple companies, including his family's plumbing business, which he expanded into the largest service company in the region](https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/03/24/us-senate-confirms-markwayne-mullin-secretary-department-homeland-security).

During his confirmation hearing, Mullin pledged a more collaborative approach to immigration enforcement than his predecessor, Kristi Noem, signaling willingness to engage with critics and consider modifications to departmental practices. [Two Democratic senators — John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico — voted to confirm him](https://www.npr.org/2026/03/23/g-s1-114813/markwayne-mullin-confirmed-homeland-security), citing their personal relationships and confidence in his leadership abilities.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Attorney General](https://ago.nebraska.gov/news/ag-hilgers-joins-letter-supporting-nomination-senator-markwayne-mullin-secretary-department)
- [Senate confirmation of Mullin as DHS Secretary](https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/03/24/us-senate-confirms-markwayne-mullin-secretary-department-homeland-security)
- [NPR reporting on Mullin's confirmation and DHS shutdown](https://www.npr.org/2026/03/23/g-s1-114813/markwayne-mullin-confirmed-homeland-security)
- [Ballotpedia biography and background on Mullin](https://ballotpedia.org/2026/03/24/markwayne-mullin-confirmed-as-secretary-of-homeland-security/)

---

This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Attorney General, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://ago.nebraska.gov/news/ag-hilgers-joins-letter-supporting-nomination-senator-markwayne-mullin-secretary-department.