The US Senate on Saturday confirmed South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a key agency in President Donald Trump’s effort to crack down on illegal immigration.
The vote came a day after US lawmakers confirmed former Fox News co-host Pete Hegseth to head the Pentagon, adding to Trump’s Cabinet already holding national security positions including secretary of state and CIA director. Is.
Kristi Noem, 53, a Trump ally and second-term governor of the northern Central American state, takes control of the US agency that oversees border enforcement and migrant deportations, but she will also lead federal efforts on cybersecurity, terrorism and emergency management. Do it.
Trump said on Friday he would sign an order to dismantle the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), after he strongly criticized its response to two devastating hurricanes during last year’s election campaign.
Kristi Noem is internationally known for the fact that she shot her dog, Cricket, because he was “untrained.”
She is also known for making South Dakota – just off the border with Mexico – one of the first Republican-led states to send National Guards troops to the border, earning praise from conservatives.
During her confirmation hearing last week, Kristi Noem said the southern border would be a top priority, emphasizing “America’s responsibility to secure our borders against those who would harm us,” while emphasizing that the system should be fair. And it should be legal.
The hearing also asked Kristi Noem to address the distribution of disaster aid.
He vowed that “there will be no political bias in how disaster relief is delivered to the American people.”
But on Friday, Trump expressed his intention to shut down FEMA, threatening to withhold aid to California as it faces a historic wave of wildfires unless the Democratic-led state changes its voting laws and environmental laws. Does not change the rules.
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