Kristi Noem has been confirmed as the new homeland security secretary by the Senate, taking on a role crucial to national security and President Trump's immigration agenda. The confirmation comes amidst plans for significant changes to the department, including increased military involvement in border security.
The Senate confirmed Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary on Saturday, placing the South Dakota governor at the helm of a vast agency crucial to national security and President Donald Trump's agenda to tighten control on illegal immigration. Republicans kept the Senate in session on Saturday to install the latest member of Trump's national security team, with a 59-34 vote. Noem was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas at his residence later Saturday.
Originally, she was scheduled to be sworn in by Vice President JD Vance in the afternoon, but this was canceled due to unforeseen delays, according to an individual familiar with the events who requested anonymity. The Senate will next vote on Monday evening regarding Scott Bessent's confirmation as treasury secretary. Noem, a staunch Trump ally serving her second term as governor, garnered some support from Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee when it voted 13-2 to advance her nomination earlier in the week. Republicans, who already hold the necessary votes to confirm her, have also expressed confidence in her dedication to leading border security and immigration enforcement. Noem, who held her state's sole U.S. House seat for eight years before becoming governor in 2019, has ascended in the GOP by aligning closely with Trump. At one point, she was even considered as a potential running mate. However, her political standing experienced a slight decline when she released a book last year containing an account of her killing her hunting dog, along with a false claim that she had once met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. On social media, Noem expressed gratitude to Trump for 'the confidence in me to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security.' She further stated, 'I will work to make America SAFE again!' Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., remarked on Friday, 'Fixing this crisis and restoring respect for the rule of law is one of President Trump and Republicans’ top priorities. And it’s going to require a decisive and committed leader at the Department of Homeland Security.' Thune continued, 'I believe Kristi has everything it takes to undertake this task.' Nevertheless, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York, along with most other Democrats, cast their votes against Noem. He emphasized 'bipartisan solutions to fix the mess at our border,' adding that Noem 'seems headed in the wrong direction.'The secretary oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Citizenship and Immigration Services. Beyond these agencies, the department is also responsible for securing airline transportation, protecting dignitaries, responding to natural disasters, and more. Trump is planning significant changes to the department's operations, including involving the military in immigration enforcement and restructuring the Federal Emergency Management Agency. These plans could immediately place Noem in the spotlight after the new president visited recent disaster sites in North Carolina and California on Friday.Noem would be tasked with delivering on Trump's most favored issue, border security. The president's goals of deporting millions of individuals who entered the country illegally could put Noem, with her experience governing a rural state and growing up on a farm, in a challenging position. In South Dakota, many migrants, some in the country without permanent legal status, power the labor-intensive jobs that produce food and housing.She has thus far pledged to faithfully execute the president's orders and echoed his rhetoric about an 'invasion' at the U.S. border with Mexico. Noem joined other Republican governors who sent National Guard troops to Texas to assist Operation Lone Star, which aimed to discourage migrants. Her decision was particularly criticized because she accepted a $1 million donation from a Tennessee billionaire to cover a portion of the deployment cost. Noem stated that she opted to send National Guard troops 'because of this invasion,' adding that 'it is a war zone down there.' During her Senate hearing, Noem was repeatedly questioned by Democratic senators about whether she would administer disaster aid to states even if Trump instructed her not to. Noem refrained from stating that she would defy the president, but she assured lawmakers, 'I will deliver the programs according to the law and that it will be done with no political bias.' Six individuals served as homeland security secretary during Trump's first four years in office
Kirsti Noem Homeland Security Trump Administration Immigration Border Security Senate Confirmation
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