By Mike Smith
ILLINOIS (25 News) – President Trump’s decision to remove Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security and nominate Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin as her replacement sparked sharp, divided reactions from Illinois lawmakers.
Republican U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) strongly backed Trump’s choice of Mullin to lead DHS, framing the move as a positive reset focused on security and stability.
“I have the utmost confidence in Senator Markwayne Mullin’s ability to effectively lead the Department of Homeland Security,” LaHood said.
LaHood pointed to his time serving alongside Mullin in Congress and on the House Intelligence Committee as the basis for his support.
“During our time serving together in Congress and on the House Intelligence Committee, I witnessed Senator Mullin’s tremendous integrity, sound judgment, and unwavering commitment to the safety of the American people,” he said. “He will bring the same dedication and leadership to DHS and continue to bolster our national security.”
25 News reports that Democratic U.S. Congressman Eric Sorensen (D-IL) issued one of the most stark responses, welcoming Noem’s ousting but warning that her replacement signaled a continuation of Trump’s hardline approach.
“Good riddance, Kristi Noem,” Sorensen said, accusing the outgoing secretary of having “failed the American people by threatening, intimidating, and harassing my neighbors,” actions he cited as the reason he backed her impeachment.
Still, Sorensen described Mullin as “another one of [Trump’s] loyalists” and vowed aggressive oversight.
“I stand ready to hold him accountable at every turn because Illinois needs a Department of Homeland Security that protects public safety and abides by the rule of law,” Sorensen said.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) echoed Sorensen’s criticism of Noem and broadened her remarks to call for structural changes at DHS.
“Kristi Noem should’ve been fired a long, long time ago,” Duckworth said.
She argued that simply replacing the secretary is not enough and urged the Trump administration to work with Democrats on what she called “commonsense DHS reforms” that she said Americans are demanding.
“Next, the Trump Administration needs to work with Democrats to enact the commonsense DHS reforms that the American people are crying out for,” Duckworth said. “Helping prevent more Americans from being executed by their own government is the very least they can do.”
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