South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, was confirmed by the Senate.
The Senate confirmed her on Saturday morning in a vote of 59-34.
The 53-year-old will now lead the agency integral in Trump’s plan to crack down on immigration.
“President Trump needs to achieve this mission because two-thirds of Americans support his immigration and border policies, including the majority of Hispanic Americans,” Noem said in her opening statement.
“I was the first governor to send National Guard troops to our southern border when Texas asked for help and when they were being overwhelmed by an unprecedented border 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.”
The department already shut down the CBP One app, which facilitated appointments for asylum seekers at the southern border — something Noem promised to do on “day one” if confirmed.
“If confirmed and I have the opportunity to be secretary, on day one, CBP One will be shut down,” Noem told Senators this week. She added: “There’s data and information in there that we will preserve so that we can ensure we know who’s coming into this country and who’s already here, that we need to go find.”
