Kristi Noem was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as President Donald Trump's Homeland Security secretary on Saturday, putting into position a key member of the Republican's Cabinet as he launches a wide-ranging immigration crackdown.
Noem, who was governor of South Dakota, shares Trump's hardline immigration views and called illegal immigration an "invasion" during a confirmation hearing earlier this month.
She was confirmed by a vote of 59 to 34 in the Republican-led Senate.
Trump recaptured the White House promising to deport record numbers of immigrants in the U.S. illegally, criticizing Democratic former President Joe Biden for high levels of illegal immigration during his presidency.
Trump issued an array of executive orders after taking office on Jan. 20 that aim to tighten border security and power his deportation drive, and has rolled out a raft of restrictive policies.
Noem will take over the 260,000-employee U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees border security, deportations and legal immigration paperwork, as well as emergency response, cybersecurity and the U.S. Coast Guard and Secret Service.
While she served as governor of a state closer to Canada than Mexico, Noem deployed dozens of South Dakota National Guard troops to assist the Republican-led state of Texas with border security in recent years, including one controversial deployment in 2021 funded by a Republican billionaire.
"It is a war zone down there," Noem said of the border during her Jan. 17 confirmation hearing.
When asked during the hearing how the Trump administration would handle workers without legal status in the agricultural sector, Noem said the administration would focus on criminal offenders and people with final deportation orders but did not say farm workers would be protected.
Noem's family ranch has hired dozens of temporary farm workers since 2015, U.S. government records show, listing her brother as the owner. Some conservative groups say the use of temporary agricultural workers with guest visas undercuts wages and slows down technological adaptation.
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U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday (17 March) announced that he is postponing a highly anticipated trip to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, citing the war with Iran as the main disruption to efforts to ease tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
Senior officials from the United States and China met in Paris this week for a new round of trade talks, as the world’s two largest economies attempt to manage their economic rivalry and avoid further tensions.
Court documents released on Monday (16 March) revealed that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has asked a U.S. judge to dismiss President Donald Trump's $10 billion defamation suit over a 2024 documentary, arguing his re-election proves the edited 2021 speech did not harm his reputation.
Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees has said a U.S. travel ban is preventing him from attending the 2026 Academy Awards this Sunday (15 March), where a film in which he stars is nominated for best international feature.
The other evening, I was fuelling my car at a petrol station in Kenya’s capital. It was one of those small moments most motorists barely notice. The attendant filled the tank, I glanced at the pump price, paid, and drove off.
President Trump called on countries to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while Starmer said the UK is working with allies to restore navigation and stabilise oil markets. It comes as a strike near Iraq’s western border killed several Hashed al-Shaabi fighters, raising regional tensions.
President Donald Trump said NATO is making a “very foolish mistake” by refusing to help the U.S. as Israel Katz claimed Ali Larijani was killed in Israeli strikes.
Kazakhstan has adopted a new constitution that could allow President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to stay in power beyond 2029. The Central Election Commission confirmed that 87.15% of voters backed the constitution in a referendum held on Sunday (17 March).
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released $2m in emergency funding to support health responses in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria as escalating regional conflict strains hospitals, raises displacement and increases pressure on already fragile health systems.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday (17 March) announced that he is postponing a highly anticipated trip to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, citing the war with Iran as the main disruption to efforts to ease tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
A series of severe storms, blizzards and tornadoes on Monday disrupted life across much of the U.S., leaving more than 12,500 flights delayed or cancelled and forcing schools, federal offices and communities to take emergency precautions.
China’s international trade representative has said Beijing and Washington have reached a “preliminary consensus” on some key issues following their latest round of talks in Paris, offering a cautious sign of progress in a relationship long marked by tension and uncertainty.
Chile’s newly inaugurated president, José Antonio Kast, has taken his first major step on immigration, launching plans for a fortified barrier along the country’s northern border just days after entering office.
A Russian drone attack damaged industrial, port, and energy infrastructure in Ukraine's southern Odesa region overnight. The strikes disrupted power supplies in several settlements, prompting local authorities to switch critical facilities to backup power generators.
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