KRISTI NOEM: HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY
South Dakota’s governor Kristi Noem was chosen by Trump to head the Department of Homeland Security. Created following the Sep 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, the department handles immigration enforcement, anti-terrorism work and cybersecurity.
It also manages the Secret Service, which came under fire after it failed to prevent an assassination attempt on Trump in July.
In a statement on her appointment, Trump credited Noem with being “very strong on border security”.
Immigration was a key focus of Trump’s campaign.
He vowed to tackle migrant gangs using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 – which allows the federal government to round up and deport foreigners belonging to enemy countries – as part of a mass deportation drive he christened “Operation Aurora”.
Noem was elected as South Dakota’s first female governor in 2018 and won her re-election bid in 2022.
She became famous for revealing in her memoir that she shot an “untrainable” pet dog, saying this showed her ability to make tough choices.
Trump also appointed two immigration hardliners, Stephen Miller and Tom Homan, to senior positions. Homan, set to be the “border czar”, was the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Trump’s first administration.
Miller, tapped as the deputy chief of staff for policy, was a trusted adviser during Trump’s first administration. He is said to have helped draft many of Trump’s hardline speeches and plans on immigration.
