Trump DHS pick Noem likely to face scrutiny over deportation, border plans at confirmation hearing

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem heads to Capitol Hill on Friday for her confirmation hearing to lead the Department of Homeland Security -- a hearing where border security and plans to launch a massive deportation operation are likely to take center stage.

Noem, nominated by President-elect Trump to lead DHS, will appear before the Senate Homeland Security Committee at 9 a.m. ET. 

The governor has largely stayed out of the spotlight, with more controversial nominees drawing attention from politicians and the media. But, if confirmed, she will play an important role in the next administration, leading the agency involved not only with border security but also cybersecurity, response to natural disasters and counterterrorism.

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That broad role has been highlighted in recent days with wildfires engulfing Los Angeles, where the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) plays a key role in response. FEMA’s importance was also on display late last year during the hurricane season.

She will also be engaged in the battle for cybersecurity, including against threats from communist China.

Dealing with natural disasters and cybersecurity are both areas where Noem has experience. As governor, she banned TikTok from state-owned devices in 2022, citing the company’s ties to China. Separately, Dakota State University has one of the top cyber units in the country, and cybersecurity is the fastest growing industry in South Dakota, an expansion encouraged by Noem. 

Noem has in-depth experience with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) because the state has dealt with flooding, including in June when there were record-setting floods in the state. 

Noem, a former member of Congress, was elected governor of South Dakota in 2018 and won re-election in 2022. 

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But it is likely to be border security, and the promise by Trump to launch a historic deportation operation, which will feature in any contentious exchanges.

Trump, nominating Noem, had argued that she is "very strong" on border security.

"She will work closely with ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan to secure the border and will guarantee that our American homeland is secure from our adversaries. I have known Kristi for years and have worked with her on a wide variety of projects. She will be a great part of our mission to make America safe again," Trump said in a statement.

"With Donald Trump, we will secure the border and restore safety to American communities so that families will again have the opportunity to pursue the American dream," Noem said.

While Homan has been charged with leading the deportation operation, Noem will be in charge of DHS agencies, including Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.)

Democrats may choose to quiz Noem on their objections to mass deportations, although a number of Democrats have indicated their openness to border security and legislation mandating ICE detention for some illegal immigrants -- after a historic border crisis during the Biden administration that only recently subsided, and which was a top issue in the 2024 election.

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Noem previously backed a pause on accepting migrants from terrorist hot spots. As governor, she pledged in 2021 not to take any more migrants from the Biden administration and also deployed National Guard to the border in Texas. 

"My message to illegal immigrants is — Call me when you're an American," she said on Facebook in 2021.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., the new chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, told McClatchy that he believes there will be a quick confirmation of Noem, and that she will likely have a few Democrats voting in favor.

"I think the bar is so low that any kind of attempt to slow down the mass illegal migration would be an improvement," Paul said. "I think they’re going to be very aggressive, not only her but the entire [Trump] administration."