The Department of Homeland Security has canceled most pending contracts initiated during the tenure of former Secretary Kristi Noem, marking the latest effort by the Trump administration to dismantle policies and spending decisions that came under bipartisan scrutiny before her departure from the agency.
Current DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin disclosed the move during testimony before the House Homeland Security Committee this week, saying the department reviewed contracts that had not yet been finalized and terminated the majority of them.
"We did go through and cancel most of those," Mullin told lawmakers when asked about contracts approved under Noem's leadership.
The decision follows months of controversy surrounding procurement practices during Noem's tenure. Congressional Republicans and Democrats alike questioned several large contracts awarded outside traditional competitive bidding processes, including a $220 million national advertising campaign promoting border security that prominently featured Noem herself.
President Donald Trump dismissed Noem as Homeland Security secretary in March after a series of controversies involving immigration enforcement, spending decisions and congressional investigations. She later moved to a lower-profile role as a State Department envoy focused on transnational crime initiatives in Latin America.
The contract cancellations are only one piece of a broader overhaul.
Mullin also announced that DHS will restore the traditional 72-day training program for Immigration and Customs Enforcement recruits beginning July 1. The previous administration had shortened the curriculum to accelerate hiring during a major immigration enforcement expansion, a move that drew concerns from lawmakers in both parties who questioned whether officers were receiving adequate preparation.
The consequences of the contract review could be significant.
Because many contracts were never finalized, the cancellations could save the federal government hundreds of millions of dollars in future spending while forcing DHS components to restart procurement processes under stricter oversight. Projects tied to immigration detention expansion, technology purchases, consulting services and operational support may face delays as they are rebid or restructured.
Several investigations remain active. Mullin confirmed that DHS's Office of Inspector General is reviewing multiple contracts awarded during the Noem era, although he said he had not received detailed briefings on specific cases.
The review also comes after reports that more than $9 billion in DHS business was awarded through less-than-fully competitive contracting methods during Noem's tenure, according to procurement data cited by Axios.
Some of the practical effects were already visible before Wednesday's announcement. Earlier this year, DHS paused plans to purchase large warehouse facilities intended to house immigrants while officials reviewed contracts connected to a multibillion-dollar detention expansion initiative launched under Noem. Several projects have since been scaled back amid legal challenges and local opposition.
The administration has also reversed a controversial Noem policy requiring the secretary's personal approval for contracts above $100,000. Critics argued the rule slowed disaster relief funding, delayed border security projects and created procurement bottlenecks across DHS and FEMA.
For the Trump administration, the contract purge signals an effort to distance itself from some of the management controversies that overshadowed Noem's final months in office while maintaining its broader immigration enforcement agenda. For contractors, however, the review creates uncertainty as billions of dollars in federal work are reassessed and potentially reopened for competition.
With Inspector General investigations continuing and Congress still demanding answers, the full financial and political fallout from the Noem-era contracting practices may not be known for months.
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