On Saturday, the Senate confirmed South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, making her the fourth nominee from President Donald Trump to receive Senate approval.
The confirmation vote passed with a 59–34 tally, with all present Republicans voting in favor. Noem’s appointment was largely anticipated, as she encountered no significant opposition during her confirmation hearings. Her nomination advanced through the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee with a 13–2 vote, with only two Democrats opposing her.
Noem joins Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as the fourth Trump-appointed official confirmed by the Senate. She will lead the Department of Homeland Security at a time when border security and combating illegal immigration are top priorities for the administration. The Trump administration has already taken substantial actions, including deploying military personnel to the border, resuming the construction of the border wall, and terminating parole programs established during the Biden administration.
Meanwhile, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has initiated nationwide deportation operations, fulfilling President Trump’s promise of a “historic” crackdown on immigration. Since Trump’s inauguration, the Department of Homeland Security has issued numerous directives aimed at tightening immigration enforcement. These directives include reviewing parole policies and expanding the authority of officials to expedite the deportation of recently arrived undocumented immigrants. These memos have been signed by Acting Secretary Benjamine Huffman.
During her confirmation hearing, Noem also highlighted other key areas of the Homeland Security mission, including cybersecurity, disaster relief, and counterterrorism. “We must be vigilant and proactive and innovative to protect the homeland,” she said. “The challenges in front of us are extremely significant, and we must secure our borders against illegal trafficking and immigration. We must safeguard our critical infrastructure to make sure that we’re protected against cyber attacks, respond to natural disasters and also terrorism.”
She made sure to also note that securing the U.S. border will be a “top priority.” “As a nation, we have the right and the responsibility to secure our borders against those who would do us harm. And we must create a fair and lawful immigration system that is efficient and is effective, and that reflects our values,” she said.
