Kristi Noem Confirmed As Trump DHS Secretary In Bipartisan Vote

 The Senate on Saturday voted to confirm South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (R) as Trump’s secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Every Republican backed the confirmation of Noem in a 59-34 vote. Notably, Noem also picked up votes from Democrats like Senators John Fetterman (PA), Tim Kaine (VA), Elissa Slotkin (MI), Andy Kim (NJ), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), and Gary Peters (MI).

Noem’s confirmation process has been basically smooth sailing since President Donald Trump tapped her for the position. As noted by Fox News, Noem advanced out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee by a vote of 13–2, with only two Democrats voting against her.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) quickly congratulated Noem for securing the new position. 

“Congratulations to fellow South Dakotan [Kristi Noem] on being confirmed as secretary of Homeland Security,” he wrote on X. “I know she’s ready to get to work for President Trump and the American people.”

As secretary of DHS, Noem’s department will oversee U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which will be crucial in carrying out Trump’s central campaign promise to close the southern border and fix illegal immigration.

The department also oversees FEMA, an agency that was recently exposed by The Daily Wire for discriminating against Trump supporters.

 

Noem has visited the U.S.-Mexico border on numerous occasions, and repeatedly criticized the Biden administration for creating a “warzone.”

Just days into Trump’s second term, his administration has already arrested hundreds of criminal illegal immigrants, as highlighted by The Daily Wire.

Between midnight on January 21 and 9 a.m. on January 22, ICE arrested more than 460 illegal immigrants, including individuals with criminal histories of sexual assault, domestic violence, robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, and those with drug and weapon offenses.

Noem is now the fourth of Trump’s picks to be confirmed, following Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and most recently, Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense.