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The US Senate has voted to put in Kristi Noem as secretary of homeland safety as Donald Trump strikes rapidly to implement his promised clampdown on unlawful immigration.
The higher chamber of Congress voted 59-34 to substantiate the governor of South Dakota to steer the Division of Homeland Safety, with a mandate to deal with the US border disaster.
In his first week again within the White Home the president signed a flurry of government orders that declared a nationwide emergency on the US-Mexico border and ended America’s refugee resettlement programme.
He additionally restricted birthright citizenship, however the measure has been quickly halted by a federal court docket that deemed it unconstitutional. Trump has vowed to attraction towards the order.
“Border safety should stay a prime precedence,” Noem stated final week throughout her affirmation listening to. “As a nation, now we have the proper and duty to safe our borders towards those that would do us hurt.”
Noem’s affirmation comes after the Senate accepted Marco Rubio as secretary of state and Pete Hegseth as secretary of defence, one of many president’s most controversial alternatives.
As secretary of homeland safety, Noem may also oversee the Secret Service, which got here beneath scrutiny after two assassination makes an attempt towards Trump final 12 months, one in all which injured his ear.
Throughout her affirmation listening to, Noem stated the Secret Service was “in severe want of reform”.
“All of us noticed the threats to [president] Trump final 12 months — and the implications of failure,” she added.
Noem’s autobiography, which recounted how she shot her pet Cricket for misbehaviour, grew to become a nationwide speaking level final 12 months.
