Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Friday that she remains in charge of the department, pushing back on questions about whether White House border czar Tom Homan has taken the lead on President Trump’s immigration agenda.
“I am still in charge of the Department of Homeland Security,” Noem said at a press conference in Phoenix. “That includes all 23 different agencies under our umbrella, including ICE and CBP, but also FEMA, TSA, Secret Service, the Coast Guard, many more.”
Noem’s remarks come amid criticism following two fatal shootings in Minneapolis involving immigration enforcement officers, which sparked protests and bipartisan scrutiny of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s tactics.
Lawmakers from both parties have questioned DHS leadership after the incidents, and some Democrats have called for Noem to resign. Sen. Thom Tillis said last month that the department’s handling of the surge in Minnesota had harmed the administration’s broader immigration message.
The White House dispatched Homan to Minnesota during the protests, and he later announced that the surge of federal agents there would end. Noem has defended DHS operations while facing reports of internal tensions within the department. The Wall Street Journal reported allegations of management turmoil at DHS, which a department spokesperson denied.
Noem spoke in Phoenix to promote the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and identification to cast a ballot.
The bill passed the House this week and is now before the Senate. President Trump has publicly backed Noem, saying she is “doing a great job” and praising what he described as improvements in border security.
