President-elect Donald Trump has chosen South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to individuals familiar with the decision and a report on CNN. The appointment, soon to be formalized, places Noem at the helm of an agency Trump considers essential to his administration’s agenda, particularly on border security and immigration.
In a statement expected to accompany the official announcement, Trump noted, “Kristi has been very strong on Border Security.” He noted that Noem will work closely with former ICE Director Tom Homan, recently designated as the administration’s “Border Czar,” to “secure the Border” and “guarantee that our American Homeland is secure from our adversaries.”
The choice of Noem signals Trump’s dedication to his promises on immigration and border policy, given her alignment with his administration’s priorities and her established track record on border security. She joins an incoming team that includes immigration hardliners such as Tom Homan and Stephen Miller, which indicates the administration’s commitment to a firm stance on immigration issues.
The DHS, which holds a critical position within the federal government with a $60 billion budget and over 240,000 employees, oversees a wide range of agencies and responsibilities, from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Secret Service. Under Trump’s first term, the department experienced leadership instability, with five different heads, only two of whom were confirmed by the Senate.
As secretary, Noem will face the challenges of a sprawling department tasked with maintaining national security, enforcing immigration laws, and ensuring disaster readiness. Although Noem is from South Dakota, a non-border state, she has consistently taken hardline stances on immigration issues throughout her political career. During her 2010 congressional campaign, Noem supported a Republican effort to block an Obama administration lawsuit challenging Arizona’s restrictive immigration policies. She has also called for penalties against Democratic-led “sanctuary cities” for not cooperating with federal immigration enforcement, echoing Trump’s stance on limiting such policies.
In office since 2019, Noem has carved out a reputation as a staunch Trump supporter. She gained national attention for her vocal opposition to COVID-19 restrictions, challenging mask mandates and rejecting widespread business and church closures. Her stance on Second Amendment rights has also drawn attention—she stated during an NRA event that her two-year-old grandchild already owns multiple guns.
Her position as DHS secretary will involve responsibilities concerning tribal lands and indigenous matters, given DHS’s role in supporting security and law enforcement on federal lands, which include tribal reservations.
Noem’s experience as a governor and former Congresswoman brings a blend of state-level governance and federal legislative understanding to her new role. As DHS secretary, she will be responsible for executing Trump’s vision on immigration, border security, and national security policy, furthering his campaign promises to strengthen American borders and uphold national security.