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South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has been tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, a position that will be key to the country's immigration system.
On social media, South Dakota Governor Noem pledged to "protect the border and restore security to American communities."
Trump's main focus has been on immigration issues, where he has promised to implement severe measures against migrants, warning that mass deportations will be carried out.
Kristi Lynn Noem, born November 30, 1971 in Watertown, South Dakota, is an American politician and member of the Republican Party, who served in the South Dakota House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011 and served as the U.S. Representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district from 2011 to 2019.
Noem is the fourth woman to represent South Dakota in Congress; in March 2011, Noem was appointed by Texas Republican Congressman Pete Sessions as one of twelve regional directors of the National Republican Congressional Committee during the 2012 election campaign.
Kristi Noem has previously expressed her opposition to migrants, as she sent National Guard soldiers to the Texas-Mexico border as governor.
On his Facebook account in April 2021, he said, “My message to illegal immigrants is: Call me when you are an American. In the meantime, South Dakota will not accept any relocation of illegal immigrants by President Biden.”
If confirmed by the Senate, she will lead an agency that oversees entities such as the Coast Guard and the Secret Service. It will be a complicated job, given that Trump had six national security leaders during his first term.
In a statement on social media, Trump called Noem "very firm on border security."
For her part, Noem pledged on social media to "protect the border and restore security to American communities so that families once again have the opportunity to pursue the American dream."
As head of the Department of Homeland Security, Noem is expected to crack down on migrants, tighten security and carry out mass deportations, as she will now have to oversee an agency that controls everything from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Secret Service to customs, U.S. Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The publication of his book, No Going Back: The Truth on What's Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward, sparked controversy when he revealed that he killed his pet dog when it did not show the signs of an ideal hunting dog.
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