President-elect Trump has chosen South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) to guide the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS), in accordance with a supply accustomed to the choice.
Noem was first floated as a potential working mate for Trump, however her consideration fizzled after the discharge of her biography, wherein she described killing a canine that was “untrainable.”
As a substitute, the Republican governor will probably be tapped to guide the sprawling company tasked with defending the united statesfrom terror threats, securing the borders and imposing U.S. immigration legislation. Trump has additionally tasked DHS with finishing up the “largest deportation operation in American history.”
The choose of Noem to guide DHS is the newest signal of Trump’s intention to take a tough line on immigration coverage, with an agenda that he has mentioned will symbolize the biggest deportation in U.S. historical past.
If confirmed, Noem would work carefully with Stephen Miller, who Trump tapped to function his deputy chief of workers for coverage. Miller was instrumental in shaping lots of Trump’s hardest immigration insurance policies in his first time period.
Trump additionally chosen Tom Homan as his border czar, an early proponent of kid separation throughout his work below the primary Trump administration who lately mentioned that “families can be deported together.”
Noem has little nationwide safety expertise, however she did ship the South Dakota Nationwide Guard to the U.S.-Mexico border and has been vocal on immigration points.
“South Dakota won’t be taking any illegal immigrants that the Biden Administration wants to relocate. My message to illegal immigrants… call me when you’re an American,” Noem wrote on social platform X in 2021 shortly after President Biden took workplace.
She additionally supported Trump’s Muslim journey ban whereas serving as a member of Congress and likewise supported pausing some refugee screening.
“I share the President’s concerns about our ability to screen refugees—especially those from terrorist hotbed areas,” Noem mentioned in 2017. “I support putting a temporary pause on accepting refugees from terrorist-held areas—at least until the administration can certify that asylum-seekers do not present a safety threat to the U.S.”
Noem was additionally beforehand floated as a potential Inside secretary.
“I love being Governor of South Dakota, and President Trump knows that I’ll help him however I can,” Noem mentioned on the time.
Noem was a daily with Trump on the marketing campaign path, together with at one occasion that become a music listening session after a number of medical emergencies.
DHS comprises a variety of key public security businesses. Past its immigration duties, it additionally comprises the Secret Service, the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA), and the Federal Emergency Administration Company (FEMA).
It additionally comprises the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Safety Company (CISA) which is tasked with serving to firms stop cyber assaults in addition to assaults on bodily infrastructure.
The Hill has reached out to the Trump marketing campaign for remark.
Brett Samuels contributed.
This story was first printed at 10:05 a.m. and up to date at 10:32 a.m.
