US Senate confirms Kristi Noem to be homeland security secretary

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) – The US Senate on Saturday approved the nomination of Kristi Noem to be secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, also known as DHS.

By a vote of 59-34, President Donald Trump's pick Noem was confirmed.

During her Senate confirmation hearing last week, Noem described the US-Mexico border as a “war zone” and pledged to make border security a "top priority.”

The outgoing South Dakota governor also defended her decision to deploy her state’s National Guard to Texas in 2021 to address what she called a “national security crisis.”

"If confirmed as secretary, I'll ensure that our exceptional, extraordinary Border Patrol agents have all the tools and resources and support that they need to carry out their mission," she told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Noem pledged to provide Border Patrol agents with the tools, resources, and support needed to fulfill their mission. She added that the same commitment extends to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees, who are tasked with "apprehending, detaining and deporting illegal immigrants and getting criminal aliens off of our streets and out of the country."

“Border security must remain a top priority as a nation. We have the right and the responsibility to secure our borders against those who would do us harm,” she said.

In addition to her focus on border security, Noem addressed the growing threat of cyberattacks, calling for a “whole-of-government approach” to enhance cybersecurity.