Christie Noem was confirmed by the Senate as the new U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security by a vote of 59 for to 34 against.
Following her confirmation, the 53-year-old former South Dakota governor becomes the eighth person to head the agency. Lt. Gov. Larry Roden succeeded Noem in the South Dakota governorship.
"As head of the Department of Homeland Security, I will work every day to keep all Americans safe," Noem said, adding that her top priority will be immigration policy.
"The Trump administration will once again empower our brave men and women in law enforcement to do their jobs and remove criminal aliens and illegal gangs from our country. We will fully equip our intelligence and law enforcement to detect and prevent terrorist threats, and provide rapid assistance and disaster relief to Americans in crisis," the newly appointed secretary said.
"President Trump needs to accomplish this mission because two-thirds of Americans support his immigration and border policies, including a majority of Hispanic Americans," Noem said during the Jan. 17 hearing.
As secretary, Noem oversees more than 260,000 employees in 22 federal agencies. | BGNES
