Kristi Noem secured US Senate confirmation as homeland security secretary on Saturday, putting the South Dakota governor in charge of a sprawling agency that is essential to national security and Donald Trump’s plans to clamp down on illegal immigration during his second presidency.
The Senate worked on Saturday as Republicans successfully sought to install the latest member of Trump’s national security team. Defense secretary Pete Hegseth was confirmed in a dramatic tie-breaking vote by JD Vance Friday night, joining the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and the CIA director, John Ratcliffe.
The Senate is scheduled to next vote Monday evening on Scott Bessent’s confirmation as treasury secretary.
Republicans unanimously voted to confirm Noem and got support from seven Democrats, including John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Andy Kim of New Jersey, Gary Peters of Michigan, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Margaret Hassan of New Hampshire and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan. The final vote was 59-34.
Democrats – or those caucusing with their party – who did not vote were Angus King of Maine, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Tina Smith of Minnesota, Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Ron Wyden of Oregon, according to the New York Times.
Noem’s supporters praised her outlook on immigration and voiced confidence in her ability to run the department.
“Fixing this crisis and restoring respect for the rule of law is one of President Trump and Republicans’ top priorities,” the GOP Senate majority leader, John Thune of South Dakota, said on Friday. “And it’s going to require a decisive and committed leader at the Department of Homeland Security. I believe Kristi has everything it takes to undertake this task.”
Noem thanked Trump for appointing her to the role on Saturday.
“I will work to make America SAFE again,” she wrote on social media.
The homeland security secretary oversees US Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Citizenship and Immigration Services. Beyond those agencies, the department is also responsible for securing airline transportation, protecting dignitaries, responding to natural disasters and more.
Noem, who held her state’s lone US House seat for eight years before becoming governor in 2019, has risen in the Republican party by tacking closely with Trump. At one point, she was even under consideration to be his running mate.
Her political stock took a momentary dip, however, when she released a book last year containing an account of her killing her hunting dog, as well as a false claim that she once met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Noem does not have any experience in law enforcement but has pledged to faithfully execute the president’s orders and copied his talk of an “invasion” at the US border with Mexico.
“Biden’s open border policies are facilitating illegal border crossings. This invasion must end,” Noem posted on X last year.
Trump is planning major changes to how the department functions, including involving the military in immigration enforcement and reshaping the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema). Those plans could immediately put Noem in the spotlight after the new president visited recent disaster sites in North Carolina and California on Friday.
Trump campaigned on mass deportation of immigrants, and as homeland security, Noem will be part of the team who will carry out Trump’s border policy. Trump also appointed Tom Homan, a longtime official within the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agency, which manages border security and deportations, as his “border tsar”. Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff of policy, is largely seen as the creator of the child-separation policy seen during Trump’s first term.
Noem joined other Republican governors who sent national guard troops to Texas to assist Operation Lone Star, which sought to discourage migrants. Her decision was especially criticized because she accepted a $1m donation from a Tennessee billionaire to cover some of the deployment cost.
Noem said she opted to send national guard troops “because of this invasion”, adding that “it is a war zone down there”.
Six people cycled through as homeland security secretary during Trump’s first four years in office. His first homeland security secretary, John Kelly, eventually became his chief of staff, a position he held in 2019. Kelly is now a prominent critic of Trump, whom he has called a fascist.
Trump has the help of Republicans in Congress, who have majorities in both chambers, to carry out his hardline immigration policies.
Earlier this week, Republicans passed their first immigration bill of the year, requiring the detention of undocumented immigrants charged with theft. While the majority of Democrats argued against the bill, saying that it would lead to racial profiling and fear-mongering among immigrants, a few dozen Democratic representatives voted with Republicans on the bill.
Maggie Goodlander, a Democratic freshman from New Hampshire, said the bill gives “law enforcement the tools they need to keep our communities safe”.
During her confirmation hearing, Noem faced questions about whether she would stand up to Trump if he were to try to withhold relief money from certain states experiencing natural disasters.
Noem did not answer the question directly but said: “I will deliver the programs according to the law and that it will be done with no political bias.”
The Associated Press contributed reporting
