Dispatch from the Homeland Security Nomination Hearing of Kristi Noem
The former South Dakota governor faced mostly softball questions from senators, including Democrats like freshman Ruben Gallego.
WASHINGTON — On Friday, January 17, President-Elect Trump’s nominee for Homeland Security Director, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, appeared before the Senate Homeland Security Committee for her confirmation hearing.
Rumors and discussions on Capitol Hill have been generally positive about her confirmation, suggesting she has remained relatively low-profile. Initially scheduled for Wednesday the 15th, the hearing was postponed to Friday at 9 AM.
As head of DHS, Noem will play a key role in Trump's mass deportation plans, though her actions will likely be guided by Stephen Miller, Trump's immigration architect, and Tom Homan, the "border czar" overseeing implementation.
Noem's primary task will be to approve these plans and ensure DHS coordination for smooth execution. While her responsibilities are broad, her role in immigration policy will be particularly prominent, especially to the 52 million immigrants in the US.
During the hearing, Noem faced mostly softball questions aimed at clarifying her stance and securing commitments to transparency, security, and reversing Biden’s border policies. Republicans focused on immigration, while Democrats prioritized cybersecurity.
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Chair of the Senate Homeland Committee, opened by criticizing the DHS for neglecting "real threats like border security," signaling that Noem was expected to prioritize this issue. Indeed, this is what most of the hearing was about.
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Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Senate Committee, emphasized the need to address the Northern Border with Canada and urged the DHS to streamline asylum cases.
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