Janet Napolitano on new Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin

Markwayne Mullin has been sworn in as the new Secretary of Homeland Security, replacing Kristi Noem, who was fired this month after a succession of controversies.

Mullin, a Republican senator from Oklahoma, officially became the new cabinet secretary in charge of enforcing Donald Trump’s flagship immigration policy in a ceremony at the White House.

He was sworn in by the attorney general, Pam Bondi.

Janet Napolitano, the Former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss this transition and what it means for the department.

“The DHS has been ill-served over the last year, and particularly during this latest shutdown,” Napolitano said, “…Americans have experienced it with lines and airports…but there are so many functions that DHS performs that have really been stagnant during this whole period.”

The Department of Homeland Security was originally formed in the wake of the attacks of 9/11, and was formed by combining 22 formerly different agencies from different legacy departments.

“…out of the belief that those attacks could have been better prevented if all of these agencies were under one umbrella roof,” Napolitano discussed, “…it’s the third largest Department of the federal government.”

Additionally, some of the major operational components of the department include Customs and Border Protection, I.C.E., Citizenship and Immigration Services, F.E.M.A., TSA, and the Secret Service.

“…our priorities were basically the same,” Napolitano explained, “…the safety and security of the American people in the Homeland…taking action to protect the nation’s aviation system, which was still under constant threat in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.”

Napolitano emphasized that when President Donald Trump was sworn in, he had changed the focus of the Department of Homeland Security.

“…he really views the Department of Homeland Security as the Department of Immigration enforcement,” Napolitano said, “…every other mission in the department has had their budgets cut, people laid off, expertise diminished…all in the effort to engage in the mass deportation initiative.”