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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Israel has sharply escalated its warnings to Lebanon amid rising regional tensions linked to Iran, according to a report by the Lebanese newspaper Nida Al Watan.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Cuba should strike a deal with the United States, warning that the island nation would no longer receive oil or financial support.
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Real Madrid have parted ways with coach Xabi Alonso, appointing former defender Álvaro Arbeloa as his replacement.
Timothée Chalamet won the Golden Globe for best male actor in a musical or comedy on Sunday for his role in Marty Supreme, beating strong competition in one of the night’s most closely watched categories.
Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano is showing increased activity, with lava flowing from two summit craters and flames, smoke and ash rising from the caldera.
Bob Weir, the rhythm guitarist, songwriter and co-founder of the Grateful Dead, has died at the age of 78, his family has said.
Israel has sharply escalated its warnings to Lebanon amid rising regional tensions linked to Iran, according to a report by the Lebanese newspaper Nida Al Watan.
Finland and Sweden have called for tougher economic measures against Russia, proposing higher import duties, export restrictions, and an EU ban on Russian energy shipments.
Finance ministers from the G7 and partner nations met in Washington on Monday to discuss a potential price floor for strategic rare-earth metals and ways to secure their supply. Representatives from Australia, Mexico, South Korea and India also attended the talks.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has said allied nations are discussing “next steps” to ensure the security of the Arctic, citing concerns that Russia and China could become more active in the strategically important region.
The U.S. has issued an urgent security notice calling all American citizens to leave Iran immediately, citing escalating protests, growing violence and widespread communication shutdowns across the country.
President Donald Trump said on Monday any country that does business with Iran will face a tariff rate of 25% on trade with the U.S., as Washington weighs a response to the situation in Iran which is seeing its biggest anti-government protests in years.
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