US Senate confirms Noem as Trump’s Homeland Security Secretary

The US Senate has confirmed Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary, putting the South Dakota governor in charge of a sprawling agency that is essential to national security and President Donald Trump’s plans to clamp down on illegal immigration.

Republicans kept the Senate working on Saturday to install the latest member of Mr Trump’s national security team.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was confirmed in a dramatic tie-breaking vote Friday night, joining Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA director John Ratcliffe.

The Senate will next vote on Monday evening on Scott Bessent’s confirmation as treasury secretary.

Republicans, who already hold the votes necessary to confirm her, have also expressed confidence in her determination to lead border security and immigration enforcement.

“Fixing this crisis and restoring respect for the rule of law is one of President Trump and Republicans’ top priorities,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said.

“And it’s going to require a decisive and committed leader at the Department of Homeland Security. I believe Kristi has everything it takes to undertake this task.”

Democrats are split on how to handle border enforcement and immigration under Mr Trump, with some warming to his hard-line stand.

However, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said he would vote against Ms Noem. He pointed to “bipartisan solutions to fix the mess at our border,” adding that Ms Noem “seems headed in the wrong direction”.

The Homeland Security Secretary oversees US Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Beyond those agencies, the department is also responsible for securing airline transportation, protecting dignitaries, responding to natural disasters and more.

Those plans could immediately put Ms Noem in the spotlight after the new president visited recent disaster sites in North Carolina and California on Friday.

During her Senate hearing, Ms Noem was repeatedly asked by Democratic senators whether she would administer disaster aid to states even if Mr Trump asked her not to.

Ms Noem avoided saying she would defy the president, but she told legislators: “I will deliver the programs according to the law and that it will be done with no political bias.”