US President Donald Trump on Thursday dismissed Kristi Noem as head of the US Department of Homeland Security, the agency responsible for implementing his administration’s sweeping immigration crackdown.
According to multiple media reports, Trump was angered by Noem’s testimony at a Senate hearing earlier this week, during which she said the president had approved a $220 million DHS advertising campaign in which she appeared prominently.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced that Markwayne Mullin, a Republican senator from Oklahoma, would replace Noem at the department starting March 31.
Trump said Noem, 54, would instead serve as his special envoy for a new Western Hemisphere security initiative he described as “The Shield of the Americas.”
“Noem has served us well and has had numerous and spectacular results, especially on the border,” Trump wrote.
He described Mullin as a “MAGA warrior” who would be a “spectacular Secretary of Homeland Security.”
Mullin’s nomination will require confirmation by the US Senate, where Republicans currently hold a majority.
“Markwayne will work tirelessly to keep our border secure, stop migrant crime and criminals from illegally entering our country, end the scourge of illegal drugs, and make America safe again,” Trump said.
Immigration crackdown criticism
Trump campaigned for the presidency on a pledge to deport millions of undocumented migrants from the United States, with DHS serving as the lead agency enforcing his administration’s immigration policy.
Noem faced bipartisan criticism during Tuesday’s Senate hearing over the administration’s handling of the immigration crackdown.
Dick Durbin, a Democratic senator, accused the department under her leadership of lacking “any moral compass or respect for the rule of law.”
Durbin and other Democrats pressed Noem to apologise for the deaths of two Americans who were shot by federal agents in Minnesota during protests against immigration enforcement measures, after she had described the protesters as “domestic terrorists.”
Republican senator Thom Tillis also criticised Noem’s tenure, calling her leadership “a disaster.”
“What we’ve seen is innocent people getting detained who turn out to be American citizens,” Tillis said.
Another Republican senator, John Kennedy, questioned Noem over the $220 million DHS television advertising campaign urging undocumented migrants to self-deport.
Noem defended the campaign, saying it had been effective.
“They were effective in your name recognition,” Kennedy responded.
Noem’s dismissal comes amid a partial shutdown affecting DHS operations, as Democrats have opposed new funding for the department without significant reforms to the activities of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Democrats have called for restrictions on ICE patrols, a ban on agents wearing face masks during operations, and a requirement for judicial warrants before agents can enter private property.
AFP
