Senate Confirms Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary, Solidifying Trump’s Immigration Crackdown
The US Senate voted Saturday to confirm South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as the new Secretary of Homeland Security, placing a staunch Trump ally at the head of a key agency responsible for implementing the administration’s hardline immigration policies, Al Jazeera reports.
The 59-34 vote marks the fourth cabinet confirmation in recent weeks, following Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, and John Ratcliffe as CIA Director.
Noem, who served as South Dakota’s first female governor since 2019 and previously as a four-term congresswoman, will now oversee a vast department encompassing immigration, customs, emergency management, and the security service.
In her confirmation hearing, Noem emphasized the need to secure US borders against “illegal trafficking and immigration,” while also focusing on safeguarding critical infrastructure from cyberattacks, responding to natural disasters, and combating terrorism.
“Getting criminal aliens off of our streets and out of the country will help American communities be safer again,” she told senators, adding that her focus would extend to addressing “homegrown terrorism” and promising unbiased disaster relief management.
Noem’s appointment comes as President Trump continues to push forward with a series of executive actions targeting immigration. These measures include declaring a national emergency at the southern border and initiating the process to end birthright citizenship. The new secretary has been a vocal supporter of the President’s agenda, previously receiving praise for deploying South Dakota’s National Guard to the US-Mexico border. Notably, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem also rejected mask mandates and social distancing requirements, underscoring her independent approach.
