South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, the firebrand who gained a nationwide highlight through the coronavirus pandemic, was confirmed by the Senate on Saturday to steer the Division of Homeland Safety.
Noem gained affirmation in a 59-34 vote, making her the fourth particular person confirmed to Trump’s cupboard. Pete Hegseth was confirmed as defense secretary simply hours earlier.
In a press release launched by the division, Secretary Noem mentioned she is going to work “each day” to maintain Individuals “protected and safe.”
“The Trump Administration will once-again empower our courageous women and men in legislation enforcement to do their jobs and take away felony aliens and unlawful gangs from our nation,” she mentioned in a press release on Saturday. “We are going to absolutely equip our intelligence and legislation enforcement to detect and stop terror threats and can ship fast help and catastrophe reduction to Individuals in disaster.”
Noem thanked the president for the chance to serve and mentioned she needs to realize the president’s mandate “to safe our southern border and repair our damaged immigration system.”
Throughout her confirmation hearing, Noem mentioned the southern border is “not safe” and that she is going to assist to repair it.
Secretary of the Division of Homeland Safety nominee Kristi Noem arrives for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump within the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Kenny Holston, Pool by way of Getty Photos
“President Trump wants to realize this mission as a result of two-thirds of Individuals assist his immigration and border insurance policies, together with nearly all of Hispanic Individuals,” Noem mentioned in her opening assertion. “I used to be the primary governor to ship Nationwide Guard troops to our southern border when Texas requested for assist and once they had been being overwhelmed by an unprecedented border disaster. If confirmed as secretary, I will be sure that our distinctive, extraordinary Border Patrol brokers have all of the instruments and assets and assist that they should perform their mission.”
The Division of Homeland Safety already shut down the CBP One app, which allowed migrants to make appointments on the border to assert asylum — one thing Noem promised the Senate Homeland Safety and Governmental Affairs Committee she’d do.
Noem will oversee 22 companies with greater than 260,000 workers who work on points starting from the border to federal catastrophe administration to the Secret Service.
On this Oct. 14, 2024, file photograph, Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump reacts with South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem after dancing to the tune “Y.M.C.A.” at a marketing campaign city corridor on the Better Philadelphia Expo Heart & Fairgrounds, in Oaks, Pa.
Alex Brandon/AP, FILE
“As secretary, I’ll oversee the Secret Service, an company that’s in critical want of reforms. All of us noticed the threats to President-elect Trump final yr and the results of failure,” Noem mentioned. “Now, that ought to by no means occur once more, and I’ve labored intently with my very own gubernatorial protecting element, and I am acquainted with what works and what does not work, and I will carry that have in direction of strengthening the Secret Service.”
The incoming secretary mentioned she is going to observe the legislation and implement reforms with no political bias, together with with regard to catastrophe reduction.
She added that “if given the possibility to be secretary of homeland safety, that I’ll ship the packages in response to the legislation and that it will likely be finished with no political bias.”
