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DHS scraps Noem policy requiring secretary's review of all contracts above $100,000
The new policy restores component-level authority for most DHS spending after Democrats said the old rule delayed more than 1,000 FEMA actions.
- On Wednesday, Secretary Markwayne Mullin reversed a policy from former Secretary Kristi Noem requiring personal approval for all DHS contracts and grants exceeding $100,000. The change applies across all components, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
- Noem's June 2025 memo inserted the secretary into thousands of procurement decisions, creating what Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee staff described as "extraordinary bureaucratic gridlock." This delayed 1,034 Federal Emergency Management Agency contracts, grants, or awards as of September 8, 2025.
- "I'm not a micromanager," Mullin stated, explaining that he wants to empower agency heads while maintaining oversight. Under the new guidance, the secretary will continue reviewing only those department contracts worth more than $25 million.
- The shift impacts major operations at CBP and ICE, which rely on routine contracting for border enforcement infrastructure and logistics support. DHS officials stated the reversal aims to streamline procurement and allow components to effectively protect the homeland.
- While the department remains hampered by a partial government shutdown, CBP and ICE continue operating using funding from last year's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Mullin continues navigating fiscal constraints while re-evaluating internal agency detention and infrastructure plans.
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17 Articles
Markwayne Mullin has started making policy changes at DHS. Some GOP lawmakers want him to do more
The new DHS secretary has already made changes to how the department reviews contracts, and is reviewing all immigration detention warehouse projects across the country.
The Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, abrogated on Wednesday a rule that demanded that the expenses of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in excess of $100,000 be personally approved by his office, putting an end to a widely criticized policy implemented by his predecessor, Kristi Noem, who, according to critics, placed a particular burden on the work of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in disaster response a…
DHS Policy Change on Spending
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Wednesday rescinded a policy requiring the secretary to approve contracts over $100,000. The news followed a re-evaluation of the department’s contract process, DHS said, while adding that Mullin wanted to make sure the department is serving American taxpayers efficiently. Mullin’s cancellation of the policy came less than a week after he was sworn in to succeed former chief Kristi Noem. Con…
Homeland Security Policy Shift: Streamlined Contract Approvals
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has removed a policy requiring Secretary approval for contracts over $100,000. This decision, led by newly-appointed Secretary Markwayne Mullin, aims to enhance efficiency and was welcomed by Congressional Democrats. Contracts over $25 million still require secretary review.
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