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South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Secretary of Homeland Security, faced senators on Friday at her confirmation hearing. Trump’s plans to secure the border took center stage at the proceedings.
<h2>Noem Refutes Claim Trump Administration Had Family Separation Policy</h2>
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) asked Noem if she would support his legislation to reunite children who were separated from their parents “as a result of the so-called family separation policy in the last administration.”

“Senator, the Trump administration never had a family separation policy. They had a zero-tolerance policy, which said that our laws would be followed,” Noem replied.

The policy required the prosecution of all adults who illegally crossed the southern border, with no exceptions for asylum seekers or those accompanied by minors. One indirect result was that roughly 3,000 illegal immigrant children were separated from the adults they crossed the border with.

Noem, however, noted that more than 300,000 illegal immigrant children have gone missing after entering the country under the Biden administration.

“This administration’s lack of desire to find out where those children are, what they may be going through, is alarming to me,” she said.

Blumenthal suggested that they should “put aside” what happened in the past.

“I can’t put aside 340,000 children,” Noem said.

The senator asked again if she would commit to reunifying those families that remain separated.

Noem said that keeping families together was “critically important” to her.

“I'm concerned about Laken Riley’s family, that they no longer have her. I’m concerned about the fact that … we have people in this country that don’t know where their children are, or people in other countries who sent their children here and they’ve been lost by this administration,” she said.

“So yes, my focus will be to keep families together. We will uphold our law, and we’ll make sure that we’re doing everything we can to keep our children safe from the trafficking and the drug epidemic that’s hit this country.”
<h2>Noem Vows to Uphold Free Speech, Root Out Censors</h2>
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) asked Noem if she would pledge to discontinue the Biden administration’s practice of pressuring social media companies to restrict users’ speech if confirmed as secretary of Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

“Yes, senator,” Noem replied. “I’ll work with you to ensure that civil rights and liberties are protected and that we are not in the misinformation and disinformation space like the current DHS is.”

Paul went on to ask the South Dakota governor if she would work to root out those in her department who were involved in such indirect censorship efforts.

Noem said she looked forward to working with him on that initiative.
<h2>Noem Previews Relationship With Tom Homan</h2>
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem previewed what her relationship with incoming border czar Tom Homan would look like if confirmed as Homeland Security secretary.

She said that President-elect Donald Trump will be in charge of the border in which she and Homan will report to the president.

She said that she herself, not Homan, will be in charge of Homeland Security’s border security agenda.

Noem said she and Homan “work very well together and talk and communicate all the time” and that they will be working “together on a daily basis.”
<h2>Noem Pledges Not to Play Politics With Disaster Relief</h2>
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), referencing the wildfires still burning in California, suggested that the “specter” of political discrimination is hovering over future disaster aid under President-elect Donald Trump.

He asked Noem if she agreed that the withholding of disaster relief would be a violation of Trump’s duty and the law.

Noem held that the fires in California were the result of poor decision-making on the part of the state’s leadership.

“But under my leadership at the Department of Homeland Security, there will be no political bias to how disaster relief is delivered to the American people,” she added.
<h2>Noem: CBP One App to Be Axed on Day 1</h2>
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) cited abuses that had been reported concerning the CBP One mobile app, which allows migrants to preschedule asylum hearings before they reach the southern border.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem affirmed that, if confirmed as Homeland Security secretary, she would shut the app down “on day one.”

Noem said that data and information from the app would be preserved “so that we can ensure we know who's coming into this country and who's already here that we need to go find.”

She added that there are “several” parole programs that were implemented under the Biden administration that she intends to eliminate, including the CHNV program that allowed certain foreign nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the country.

“We need to ensure that we’re following legal immigration laws,” Noem said.

She promised to evaluate parolees on a case-by-case basis, “rather than like Joe Biden has done—use this as an excuse to allow people to come
<h2>Noem: DHS Leadership ‘Hasn’t Been Honest’</h2>
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) noted that his constituents have lost faith in the transparency of leadership at the Department of Homeland Security.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who is hoping to take the helm at Homeland Security, said she had witnessed the same diminished trust across the country and in her home state.

“People don’t trust the federal government,” Noem said. “They don’t trust our leadership and this current administration that’s in the White House right now to tell them the truth … about what the threats really are, about our agencies and departments, when there are failures, addressing them and fixing it.”

Noem pointed to the Secret Service as an example, holding that the agency has been distracted by off-mission investigations and is suffering from a lack of staff and resources.

“But frankly, the leadership hasn’t been honest about talking about it,” she said. “We saw this with the drones over New Jersey, as well [as] the federal government not answering the questions from the public” about the assassination attempts against President-elect Donald Trump.

“My goal and my mission is to build trust.”
<h2>Noem to Emphasize Border Security in Opening Remarks</h2>
South Dakota Gov. Krist Noem is expected to stress the importance of securing the southern border as she seeks confirmation to the role of Homeland Security secretary.

As she appears before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Friday, Noem is expected to pledge her commitment to supporting the efforts of Border Patrol agents and U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement.

“Getting criminal aliens off the streets and out of the country will help make American communities safe again,” Noem’s prepared remarks state.

“The bravery and dedication of the Border Patrol and ICE are unmatched, and I will restore dignity to their work.”

The governor will also tout her executive experience addressing cybersecurity threats, human trafficking, drug interdiction, and natural disasters in South Dakota as an asset to the Department of Homeland Security.

“As we face the evolving threats of the 21st century, the mission and success of DHS is more critical than ever,” Noem will say. “We must be vigilant, proactive, and innovative to protect the homeland.”
<h2>What to Know About Kristi Noem</h2>
Kristi Noem appears before the Senate Homeland Securuity and Governmental Affairs Committee, which will consider her nomination to be secretary of Homeland Security.

Here is what to know about her:
<ul>
 	<li>Noem has been the 33rd governor of South Dakota since 2019.</li>
 	<li>As governor, she has sent her state’s National Guard to the southern border.</li>
 	<li>She represented South Dakota’s At-Large Congressional District between 2011 and 2019.</li>
 	<li>She graduated college while in the House of Representatives.</li>
 	<li>She was in the South Dakota House of Representatives between 2008 and 2011.</li>
</ul>
<h2>What to Expect at Kristi Noem’s Confirmation Hearing for Secretary of Homeland Security</h2>
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary, will likely face questions on her qualifications and how she intends to close the U.S. southern border and deport millions of illegal immigrants.

The DHS encompasses Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Border Patrol, and several other agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Noem’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Jan. 17.

Some political observers were surprised by Noem’s nomination, questioning whether she has the necessary experience.

Noem’s background includes serving in the South Dakota State Legislature (2007-11) and the U.S. House of Representatives (2011-18), where she joined the House Armed Services and Agriculture committees. She returned to South Dakota as the state’s first female governor in 2019 and was elected to a second term in 2022. She has been a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment.

Her alliance with Trump and reputation as a border hawk have made her popular among Republicans.

Noem, seen as a potential 2024 presidential candidate, made the border crisis a focal point during her tenure as governor.

Some 11 million illegal immigrants are believed to have entered the country during the Biden Administration, leading to reported increases in crime and drug trafficking.

With polls indicating that securing the border was a top issue for voters, Trump made it a centerpiece of his 2024 bid to return to the White House. He vowed to secure the border and launch one of the largest deportation operations in U.S. history if elected.

Noem sent South Dakota National Guard troops to Texas five times as it struggled to deal with the millions of illegal immigrants crossing its border with Mexico.
She was the first to deploy guardsmen to the U.S. southern border almost four years ago at the request of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

In January 2024, when announcing the latest guard deployment to Texas in a joint session of the state Legislature, Noem criticized mass migration under the Biden administration.

If confirmed in her new post, Noem would have a role in carrying out Trump’s immigration-related policies.

She would potentially work with Tom Homan, Trump’s incoming border czar, to remove millions of illegal immigrants, starting with convicted or wanted criminals and those with existing deportation orders.

Noem would be responsible for executing Trump’s expected use of executive orders to secure the border to keep out illegal immigration, criminal cartels, and fentanyl trafficking.
Trump associates have indicated Title 42, the public health policy he used for deportations during the COVID-19 pandemic, could be reinstated to quickly expel migrants at the border. In order to do that, a health threat would need to be identified.

Another policy Trump will likely reinstate is Remain in Mexico, which would keep asylum seekers in Mexico while they await hearings on their applications.

On Jan. 16, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing on the legality of reinstating that policy and passed a resolution, mainly along party lines, that the U.S. president has the authority to immediately secure the border under laws already in place.

Trump has also floated the idea of declaring a national emergency over the border crisis, using the military to help with deportation logistics, and expanding 287(g) agreements, which allow state and local law enforcement to assist ICE.

At her confirmation hearing, Noem could also face questions about protecting civil rights when enforcing Trump’s border and deportation policies.
Of particular concern to Democrats was Trump’s past policy that they said separated families crossing illegally at the border.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, criticized the policy. After meeting with Noem, he said her responses to Trump policy questions lacked specifics.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) criticized Noem for her “war-zone rhetoric” in supporting the Texas governor’s declaration of an “invasion” when referring to unlawful crossings from Mexico into Texas.
The ACLU said that the Senate should press Noem on whether she favors using “militarized immigration raids” in communities with a large population of foreign nationals and building “large scale” deportation camps—both talking points frequently brought up by Democrats against Trump’s deportation plan.

Noem appears to have solid support from Senate Republicans and isn’t expected to run into serious opposition during the confirmation process.

After meeting with her earlier this month, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) praised Noem’s advocacy for securing the border and countering the current administration’s “dangerous open borders policies.”
New Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), and Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) will introduce Noem at the hearing.

<em>Epoch Times reporters Jackson Richman, Samantha Flom and Darlene McCormick Sanchez contributed to this report.</em>

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Luis Eduardo Martinez is a correspondent for NTD News based in Washington. He holds a master’s degree in International Relations and Democratic Politics from the University of Westminster in London, England.

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Kristi Noem, DHS Secretary Nominee, Appears Before Senate Panel