Tennessee’s Mark Green to lead House Committee on Homeland Security

According to Bloomberg Government, Rep. Dan Crenshaw had also been eyed for the seat. Former chair of the committee during the last two sessions of Congress Rep. Bennie Thompson will serve as the committee’s ranking member.

Green, an Army veteran, has slammed the Biden administration’s "crisis of epic proportions" at the southern border, and has previously introduced legislation in support of constructing a border wall.

The Freedom Caucus member is set to lead the panel as it turns toward oversight on border security and other matters relating to Department of Homeland Security functions.

"The panel will likely play a supporting role in any Judiciary Committee efforts to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas," Bloomberg Government reported.

Both Green and Crenshaw made their cases to the House Steering Committee on Monday morning, with Crenshaw saying, "I feel good. I always feel good," while leaving the meeting.

Green’s appointment comes as the southern border has seen record-high numbers of illegal immigrants crossing.

In October, the start of the fiscal year 2023, 231,294 people were encountered by Border Patrol agents crossing illegally. 233,740 people were encountered in November. These numbers have already surpassed these months in previous years, with the 2023 overall total so far surpassing the number seen in 2020, 458,088, according to CBP data.