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U.S. Sen. Tina Smith says she's not confident Homeland Security replacement will bring meaningful change

Tina Smith
Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., speaks as Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., appears before the Senate Finance Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025.
Mark Schiefelbein | AP

Kristi Noem is out as the head of the Department of Homeland Security and GOP Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin is taking over, although he still needs a Senate confirmation to have the job on a full-fledged basis.

DHS is one of the biggest federal agencies, covering everything from immigration enforcement to airport TSA agents to FEMA, the federal division that responds to natural disasters. U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn, called Noem’s firing “welcome news,” but said it comes too late.

Smith and Mullin served together on the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. She said on Friday’s Morning Edition that she doesn’t have much confidence that he’ll be able to get the department under control.

“I see no evidence that he will fundamentally change the way the administration has been going after domestic enforcement of immigration that has just been so damaging to Minnesota,” Smith said.

Listen to the full conversation by clicking the player above.