US President-elect Donald Trump has chosen South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as his new secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, CNN reported on Tuesday, citing two sources.
The appointment places Noem, a longtime supporter, in charge of an agency central to Trump's immigration and border security agenda, which includes proposals for mass deportations.
Noem's role will require Senate confirmation, unlike other key figures like Tom Homan, who will serve as Trump's "border czar," and Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner.
Noem, who previously served as a representative from South Dakota, will now be responsible for leading a large agency that includes US Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the US Secret Service.
Noem is expected to be a strong advocate for the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy, which caused the separation of thousands of families at the southern border.
