South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to head the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), faced senators in her confirmation hearing on January 17, 2025. During the hearing, Noem emphasized her commitment to aggressively enforcing immigration policies in alignment with Trump’s platforms, which stand in stark contrast to the approach taken by the outgoing Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Noem, a two-term governor and former congresswoman, outlined her aggressive immigration agenda, stating her intent to significantly alter existing policies. Among her planned actions is the termination of the CBP One mobile application utilized by the Biden administration for processing asylum requests. Additionally, she intends to scale back humanitarian parole and reinstating policies that would require asylum-seekers to await immigration court hearings in Mexico. Her primary focus will be on deporting migrants with criminal records before addressing those who have received final deportation orders.
Notably, Noem acknowledged that her selection for the role was unexpected but justified her desire to serve in this capacity by citing it as a top priority for the president. She assured senators that she would manage the department equitably, stating that all Americans should receive disaster relief without political bias, highlighting her experience responding to natural disasters in South Dakota.
The hearing also touched on the future of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), with Noem agreeing to collaborate with Republican senators on potential reforms following criticisms from conservative lawmakers about the agency’s mission and actions during the pandemic.
Furthermore, as the leader of an agency that also oversees the Secret Service, Noem addressed recent scrutiny of the agency, particularly in light of an assassination attempt against Trump. She positioned herself as someone ready to reform the Secret Service, aiming to refocus the agency on its core mission of safeguarding national security.
In seeking to reassure the committee, Noem affirmed her compliance with laws governing disaster response and her commitment to restoring necessary services swiftly after disasters.
Overall, Noem’s hearing marked a significant moment as she prepared to lead an agency that would play a pivotal role in shaping national policy on immigration, security, and disaster response under Trump’s administration. Her strong backing from Republican senators suggests a likelihood of confirmation, signaling a potential shift toward more stringent immigration practices in the coming administration.