The Senate voted 59-34 on Saturday morning to confirm Kristi Noem as President Trump’s Homeland Security secretary, placing a close Trump ally at the head of an agency central to his immigration crackdown.
Noem, who has served as South Dakota’s governor since 2019 and is a former state legislator and four-term congresswoman, will now lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The agency oversees key functions such as US Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the US Secret Service.
During her confirmation hearing, Noem emphasized the importance of the agency’s mission. “The mission and the success of DHS is more critical than ever,” she said. “We must secure our borders against illegal trafficking and immigration, safeguard critical infrastructure against cyberattacks, respond to natural disasters, and address terrorism.”
She highlighted border security as a top priority, framing it as central to Trump’s mandate on immigration. “Getting criminal aliens off of our streets and out of the country will help American communities be safer again,” Noem stated.
Noem addressed other pressing issues during her hearing. She assured senators there would be “no political bias” in disaster relief under her leadership and stressed the need to combat domestic terrorism. Referring to the recent deadly truck attack in New Orleans, she called it “a horrific event” and noted, “homegrown terrorism is on the rise.”
Noem gained national attention during the Covid-19 pandemic for her opposition to mask mandates and social distancing measures, actions that elevated her profile within the Republican Party.
