Secretary of the Division of Homeland Safety nominee Kristi Noem arrives for the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump within the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Jan. 20, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Pictures

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Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Pictures

The Senate confirmed South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on Saturday to function the Secretary of Homeland Safety, placing her in command of executing considered one of President Trump’s greatest priorities in his second time period: cracking down on immigration.

Noem, a Republican, received affirmation in a 59-34 vote. She turns into the fourth particular person confirmed in Trump’s cupboard, following Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Pete Hegseth, who was narrowly appointed Secretary of Protection on Friday night time after Vice President J.D. Vance solid a tie-breaking vote.

Noem is ready to steer the division poised to be on the middle of President Trump’s plans to crack down on immigration, together with the varied deportation efforts, visa modifications and border safety measures kicked off by the slew of executive actions signed by Trump since his return to workplace.

Noem, 53, has been a vocal advocate for Trump’s immigration agenda, as she defined to senators during her confirmation hearing.

“The explanation that I requested for it’s as a result of I knew it was the president’s primary precedence,” Noem advised the Senate Homeland Safety and Governmental Affairs Committee, about why she is finest for the function.

“I knew that it could be wanted to have somebody within the place, that may do what the president promised the American individuals and can be robust sufficient to do it,” she mentioned.

Throughout her affirmation listening to, Noem mentioned she would companion with Trump to reinstate the “Stay in Mexico” coverage, also called the Migrant Safety Protocols, which might require sure asylum seekers to attend in Mexico till their court docket listening to dates within the U.S., in an effort to restrict the variety of individuals ready inside U.S. borders.

Noem additionally vowed to shut down the CPB One App, an app utilized by asylum seekers to petition for asylum with U.S. Customs and Border Safety. DHS cancelled all appointments inside hours of Trump’s inauguration.

She has expressed help for ending birthright citizenship, which President Trump is looking for to do via an government motion. Authorized consultants broadly agree the president doesn’t have the authority to revoke birthright citizenship via government motion, however relatively doing so would require amending the Structure. A U.S. choose has already temporarily blocked the order, calling it “blatantly unconstitutional.”

Noem is anticipated to work to implement immigration coverage set by Tom Homan, whom Trump has picked to function his “border czar,” and Stephen Miller, deputy chief or workers and a key architect of the president’s immigration agenda. She can be more likely to work with Hegseth, as a number of of Trump’s government actions contain army help to DHS for repatriation flights, constructing obstacles on the southern border and extra.

Noem will oversee greater than 260,000 federal staff. Along with overseeing businesses that take care of immigration and responding to pure disasters, Homeland Safety works with the nation’s intelligence businesses to stop terrorist threats.

Following Saturday’s affirmation vote, Noem formally resigned as South Dakota governor, in keeping with a statement. Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden succeeds her within the state’s prime put up.