Here’s what Trump’s likely DHS secretary has said about immigration

On November 13, 2024By Littum

Upper line

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary, putting her at the forefront of his aggressive planned crackdown on undocumented immigrants, as Noem has made it clear she aligns with Trump’s position on the issue.

Then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks with moderator and South Dakota governor … (+) Kristi Noem during a town hall at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center and Fairgrounds in Oaks, Pennsylvania, on October 14, 2024. (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

AFP via Getty Images

Key facts

Noem, who was elected South Dakota governor in 2018 after representing the state in Congress, appeared frequently with Trump on the campaign trail and was in the running to become his vice presidential pick.

As DHS secretary, Noem will lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) — two central agencies for Trump’s planned crackdown on unauthorized immigration — as well as a handful of typically lower-profile agencies dedicated to emergency management, cybersecurity and transportation security.

Noem’s tough immigration stance and rhetoric have sparked controversy during her time as governor: South Dakota’s nine tribal reservations this year banned Noem from setting foot on their land after she claimedwith no evidence that tribal leaders “personally benefited” from drug cartels operating on the reservations and committing murders there.

In response to the bans, Noem said in May that tribal leaders “should take steps to ban the cartels from their lands and accept my offer to help them restore law and order,” but did not explain why she believes they are personally pulling advantage of cartels. or provide evidence that cartels were responsible for crime on the reservation.

Noem sided with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in the state’s conflict with federal border officials earlier this year over its decision to erect razor wire at a section of the border where migrants crossed at Eagle Pass in defiance of a Supreme Court order and told Fox News in January “I’ll run (Abbott) more razor wire from South Dakota if necessary for him to do his job.”

Noem has also repeatedly sent South Dakota National Guard troops to the southern border to aid Abbott’s efforts, accusing “President Biden and Vice President Harris” of “leaving the border open on purpose” by announcing a new deployment in August .

She told South Dakota state legislators in January, while advocating her plan to send aid to Texas, that “the United States is in a time of invasion . . . the 50 states have a common enemy, and that enemy is the Mexican drug cartels.”

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What to look for

CNN on Tuesday was the first to report that Noem is likely to be tapped for the role, but Trump has yet to make an official announcement. Noem, and all of Trump’s appointees subject to Senate confirmation, are likely to sail through the process after Republicans took control of the upper chamber in elections last week.

Who is Kristi Noem?

Noem, 52, grew up in South Dakota on her family’s ranch in rural Hamlin County, dropping out of college to take over the ranch as general manager when her father died. She later received her degree from South Dakota State University in 2011 while serving in Congress. Noem first entered politics in 2006 when she was elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives. She was elected to Congress in 2010.

Surprising facts

Outside of politics, Noem is perhaps best known for admitting in her book, “No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward,” released in April, that she shot and killed her family’s puppy and goat. Noem claimed that the dog was “untrainable . . . dangerous” and “aggressive” and that the buck was “mean and vicious” and “loved to chase” his children. In response to the backlash, Noem said she did not break the law, which she said “states that dogs that attack and kill livestock can be euthanized.” Noem wrote in his book that the dog killed a neighbor’s chicken. The admission was widely seen as having killed Noem’s prospects of becoming Trump’s vice presidential pick. Trump though defended Noemtelling radio hosts Clay Travis and Buck Sexton “we all have bad weeks”, calling Noem “awesome”. Noem too removed a false claim from the book that she once met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

Key background

As DHS secretary, Noem will likely come under intense scrutiny as she will play a key role in carrying out Trump’s aggressive border control policies, including his plan for mass deportations. The GOP-controlled House impeached DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas earlier this year, blaming him for an influx of migrants at the southern border. Noem will also work closely with Trump’s recently announced “border czar,” Tom Homan, his former acting head of ICE.

Key

Trump has made several high-profile appointments to top posts in his administration since winning the election, with his first picks going to some of his staunchest loyalists. He appointed Rep. Elise Stefanik, RN.Y., to UN ambassador, he appointed his campaign manager Susie Wiles to White House chief of staff, adviser Stephen Miller to White House deputy chief of staff, former Rep. Lee Zeldin, RN.Y., as Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, and Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., as national security adviser. He is widely expected to announce Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., as his choice for secretary of state.