Kristi Noem: 5 Things the New Homeland Security Secretary Has Said About Immigration

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to confirm South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as the nation’s next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and she has not hidden her views on the subject of immigration.
She has said America is facing an invasion, expressed her support for Trump’s Muslim ban, explained why her state would not be taking any homeless migrants, and voiced support for Texas Governor Greg Abbott, offering to deliver razor wire for the southern border.
Currently serving her second four-year term as governor of South Dakota, 52-year-old Noem will soon be responsible for leading an agency tasked with enforcing border security and immigration, disaster response, and the U.S. Secret Service, according to CNN.
Noem was believed to be on Trump’s original vice presidential shortlist, but her chances were derailed following the publication of her book, No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward.
In the book, she revealed that she had killed her 14-month-old wirehair pointer, Cricket, when she did not display the signs of a suitable hunting dog, and attracted huge backlash.
Newsweek has contacted Trump’s campaign and Noem’s office for comment via email outside of normal business hours.
Following Trump’s campaign promise to launch the largest deportation effort in U.S. history, he has already appointed two staunch advocates of strict immigration policies to his incoming administration. Longtime adviser Stephen Miller has been confirmed as deputy chief of staff for policy, and Tom Homan, his former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, has been named “border czar.” Homan will be tasked with “all deportation of illegal aliens back to their country of origin.”
Noem completes a trio of hard-liners pushing the immigration agenda.
She has served as South Dakota’s governor since 2019, marking her as the state’s 33rd governor and the first woman to hold this role. Before her governorship, Noem represented South Dakota’s at-large congressional district in the House from 2011 to 2019 and was a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011, representing the 6th district. Her conservative views on border security and immigration policy speak for themselves.
During her time in Congress, she backed Trump’s controversial Muslim ban.
Noem said in 2017 that she agrees with President Donald Trump’s concerns regarding refugee screening and supports halting the acceptance of refugees from “terrorist-controlled regions.”
“My first priority is the safety and security of the American people,” Noem said at the time.
“I share the President’s concerns about our ability to screen refugees—especially those from terrorist hotbed areas. I support putting a temporary pause on accepting refugees from terrorist-held areas—at least until the administration can certify that asylum-seekers do not present a safety threat to the U.S.”
The statement was issued in response to President Trump’s executive order, which temporarily suspended the U.S. refugee program for 120 days and imposed a 90-day ban on immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries.
Noem has shown strong backing for Trump’s general immigration policies and prioritization of national security. Her approach mirrors many Republicans who argued that the travel ban was about security rather than discrimination.
Noem said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, in 2021 that South Dakota “won’t be taking any illegal immigrants” as the Biden-Harris administration struggled to handle a rising influx of unaccompanied minors on the southern border.
The federal government established an emergency migrant facility near an overcrowded Customs and Border Protection center to help address the need for additional space.
Noem tweeted: “South Dakota won’t be taking any illegal immigrants that the Biden Administration wants to relocate. My message to illegal immigrants… call me when you’re an American.”
Noem offered to personally deliver razor wire to her Texas counterpart, Republican Governor Greg Abbott, for use along the U.S.-Mexico border as Abbott continued his battle with the federal government over border control.
“Governor Abbott has done the exact right thing,” Noem said on Fox News. “And I’ll drive him more razor wire from South Dakota if I have to for him to do his job.”
Noem has sent South Dakota’s National Guard troops to reinforce the southern border to assist Abbott’s efforts in curbing migration since 2021 and has previously described the southern border as a “war zone.”
“Our Border Patrol agents do not support what President [Joe] Biden is doing,” Noem added on Fox News.
“Our ICE agents on the ground do not support what President Biden is doing. Democrats in the country do not support what President Biden is doing at the southern border, and they disagree with him fundamentally.
“He’s so out of touch,” Noem added, referring to Biden. “He’s remaking this country—We will be Europe within a year or two if we allow President Biden to continue this invasion of our country.”
Days later on CNN, Noem was asked about Abbott’s ongoing legal battle with the Biden-Harris administration.
“Texas should stand their ground; they should enforce their state law and go back to the constitutional rights that they have been granted to protect their state sovereignty, and that’s what so many of us governors are offended by,” Noem said.
Noem’s comments came after the Biden administration secured a victory over Abbott when the Supreme Court voted to allow the removal of razor wire along the U.S. southern border.
As Noem considered helping Texas bolster security to curb the flow of undocumented migrants, she said cartels are “waging war” against the U.S.
“The United States of America is in a time of invasion,” Noem said. “The invasion is coming over our southern border. The 50 states have a common enemy, and that enemy is the Mexican drug cartels. They are waging war against our nation, and these cartels are perpetuating violence in each of our states, even right here in South Dakota.”
Noem cited illegal drugs, including fentanyl, and violent crime affecting communities as reasons behind her decision to deploy National Guard troops to Texas.
Noem criticized Democratic governors who have vowed to oppose President-elect Trump’s immigration policies, calling their actions “extremely irresponsible” and urging them to engage in dialogue with the incoming administration.
California Governor Gavin Newsom and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker have pledged to ‘Trump proof’ their states to defend migrants from Trump’s flagship mass deportation policy.
In response to Trump’s stunning comeback victory, Pritzker said at a news conference in Chicago: “To anyone who intends to come take away the freedom, and opportunity, and dignity of Illinoisans, I would remind you that a happy warrior is still a warrior. You come for my people, you come through me.”
Newsom, a staunch critic of former President Trump, urged lawmakers on Thursday to hold a special session later this year. He called for the session to focus on strengthening and protecting California’s progressive policies on climate change, reproductive rights, and immigration in anticipation of a potential second Trump presidency.
Noem said both governor’s remarks were “not a mature response” following Trump’s ascension to the top job.
“If I had a new president in the White House, and even if he wasn’t from my political party, the first thing I would do would be call him up and see if I could get a meeting,” Noem said on NewsNation’s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.”