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The US Senate has voted to install Kristi Noem as secretary of homeland security as Donald Trump moves quickly to implement his promised crackdown on illegal immigration.
The upper house of Congress voted 59-34 to confirm the governor of South Dakota to lead the Department of Homeland Security, with the mandate to deal with the problem of the US border.
In his first week back in the White House, the president signed a series of executive orders that declared a national emergency along the US-Mexico border and ended the US refugee resettlement program.
It also banned birthright citizenship, but the measure was temporarily suspended by a federal court that deemed it illegal. Trump has vowed to appeal the order.
“Border security must remain a priority,” Noem said last week during his test. “As a nation, we have the right and responsibility to protect our borders from those who would harm us.”
Noem's confirmation comes after the Senate confirmed Marco Rubio as secretary of state Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense, is the president's most controversial choice.
As homeland security secretary, Noem will oversee the Secret Service, which came under scrutiny after two assassination attempts on Trump last year, one of which injured his ear.
During his confirmation hearing, Noem said the Secret Service was “in dire need of reform”.
“We all saw the threats from (president) Trump last year – and the consequences of failure,” he added.
Noem's autobiography, which tells how she shot her puppy Cricket for misbehaving, made national headlines last year.