President-elect Donald Trump has picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to lead the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
“She will work closely with “Border Czar” Tom Homan to secure the Border, and will guarantee that our American Homeland is secure from our adversaries.”
Noem, 52, thanked Trump in the statement for the selection, saying “With Donald Trump, we will secure the Border, and restore safety to American communities so that families will again have the opportunity to pursue The American Dream.”
The DHS, which includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Transportation Security Administration, is tasked with protecting America from threats. It has more than 260,000 employees.
Noem has said that people who cross into the United States illegally must be deported and that the spike in illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border is a problem.
Noem was floated as a vice presidential candidate before Trump chose Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio). She drew criticism earlier this year when she wrote about putting down her family’s dog. Noem was a U.S. representative from 2007 to 2019. Noem became South Dakota’s governor on Jan. 5, 2019. She easily won reelection in 2022 in the red state.