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Noem’s departure caps a tumultuous tenure overseeing immigration enforcement tactics that have been met with protests and lawsuits, as well as a wave of criticism over the response to deadly Texas flood.
President Donald Trump on Thursday fired his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, after mounting criticism over her leadership of the department, including the handling of the administration’s immigration crackdown and disaster response.
Trump said he would nominate Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin in her place and make Noem a “Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas,” a new security initiative that he said would focus on the Western Hemisphere.
What to know:
Noem faced rare but blistering criticism from Republican lawmakers during two back-to-back congressional hearings earlier this week. One particular point of scrutiny was a $220 million ad campaign featuring Noem that encouraged people in the country illegally to leave voluntarily.
Mullin would need to be confirmed by the Senate, but under a federal law governing executive branch vacancies, he would be allowed to serve as an acting Homeland Security secretary as long as his nomination is formally pending.
Noem took the stage to address a law enforcement conference moments after Trump’s announcement, but made no mention of her ouster during her 30-minute address. Even when she began answering audience questions, no one questioned her about the move. She later posted on social media, thanking Trump for her new appointment.
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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem gives a news conference at Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters, Jan. 24, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)
Hegseth says Noem did ‘an excellent job’ as DHS chief
During a news conference Thursday at U.S. Central Command, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Noem had done “a great job setting us up for success” and commended her “excellent” work on border security.
“The president is making a change,” he said. “We all serve at the pleasure of the president.”
Asked if he worried about the safety of America’s homeland during the war, Hegseth said he did not, adding that he felt Mullin “will do a fantastic job.”
Mullin expressed little faith in FEMA after Hurricane Helene
Trump’s pick to replace Noem has in the past expressed skepticism of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is part of DHS and which the Trump administration has considered shrinking or even eliminating.
“If we have to wait on the federal government to respond, we’re going to be waiting for the rest of our life,” Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma told Fox Business in 2024, shortly after Hurricane Helene ravaged parts of North Carolina, Florida, and other states.
“It’s not FEMA that’s going to respond, it’s the local people that are going to respond and we’re going to be fighting with FEMA to get reimbursed if they ever do reimburse,” Mullin said.
Jeffries calls Noem’s removal a ‘first step’ in overhaul of DHS
“We made clear weeks ago that Kristi Noem must be fired or she would face impeachment. Her well-deserved termination is long overdue, consistent with what we have demanded,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a statement.
Jeffries contended that under Noem “taxpayer dollars have been weaponized by DHS to kill American citizens” and that the secretary “paraded around in a luxury jet and wasted public funds to glorify her ICE Barbie self-image.”
Jeffries promised further action against DHS after Noem’s departure from the agency.
“Kristi Noem’s removal is only the first step towards reforming the lawless Trump DHS. A change in personnel is not sufficient,” said Jeffries, who called for “bold, meaningful and transformational changes.”
Illinois governor glad to see Noem go
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat who was critical of Noem and DHS even before ICE agents swarmed Chicago last fall in a sometimes-violent immigration crackdown, offered a blunt reaction.
“Shouldn’t let the door hit her on the way out. It’s frankly not too soon,” Pritzker, who has been mentioned as a presidential candidate in 2028, said, adding his hopes that Mullin will do better.
“It’s a pretty low bar,” he said. “We saw shootings and we saw breaking the law, we saw corruption under Kristi Noem, so, not sure you could do worse.”
Democratic senators comment on the firing of Kristi Noem
Democrat senators on Capitol Hill react to President Donald Trump’s firing of his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. (AP video: Rick Gentilo)
More organizations are weighing in on Noem’s departure
Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of the refugee resettlement organization Global Refuge, said in a statement that her departure is an “opportunity to course-correct.”
“The past year has been marked by policy whiplash, the erosion of long-standing humanitarian protections, and mounting instability for immigrants, employers, and the communities that depend on them,” said Vignarajah.
Trump suspended the refugee program on his first day in office and then lifted restrictions to allow a few thousand refugees into the country but mostly white South Africans.
Under Noem’s leadership, the department has started subjecting refugees who’ve already been admitted to the country to stricter vetting.
Immigrant organizations react to Noem’s departure
Some of the most important immigrant organizations in the U.S. quickly welcomed Noem’s departure as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security but said they did not see her replacement by Sen. Markwayne Mullin as a radical change.
“Keeping communities safe – including those of our immigrant and refugee neighbors – are what should be most important to any government official,” said Beth Oppenheim, CEO of HIAS, one of the oldest refugee organizations in the U.S.
“We call on all leaders in this administration – including the incoming Secretary – to lead with the utmost respect and dignity for the most vulnerable across our country.”
President of federal workers’ union says Noem removal ‘long overdue’
Everett Kelley said in a statement that the American Federation of Government Employees “was among the first to call for the removal of Noem on Jan. 26, two days after our union brother Alex Pretti was killed in Minneapolis.”
Pretti, 37, was an intensive care unit nurse at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Minneapolis.
“Accountability matters, and this action was long overdue,” Kelley said. “Secretary Noem’s tenure was a disaster for the men and women of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.”
Preview of Noem’s new assignment given
In what may have been a preview of Noem’s new assignment, her longtime aide, Corey Lewandowski, accompanied Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday for a meeting with 17 defense officials from Latin America and the Caribbean.
The event, held at the U.S. Southern Command in Miami, focused on efforts to combat drug cartels in the region.
Most officials were part of the delegations attending Trump’s Shield of the Americas summit taking place this weekend at Trump’s nearby golf course.
Some advocacy groups welcome Noem’s firing
Some immigration advocacy groups are welcoming Noem’s firing but also cautioning that more changes are needed.
In a statement the Los Angeles-based Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights said her departure is “long overdue.”
“For immigrant communities across the country, her leadership represented a dangerous escalation of policies that treated families and workers as targets rather than as human beings,” the group said.
But they cautioned that removing her was only the first step and said the next secretary must ensure that agencies within DHS treat immigrants with “basic human respect.”
America’s Voice’s executive director Vanessa Cárdenas said in a statement that Noem’s tenure was “marked by cruelty” but also said that the problem wasn’t just with Noem. They said there needs to be real accountability for organizations like ICE and Border Patrol.
Mullin called senator who’ll oversee his nomination a ‘freaking snake’
Mullin’s nomination will go through the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
That panel is chaired by Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican whom Mullin recently criticized as a “freaking snake” to a group of voters in Tulsa.
The comment came as Mullin described how Paul, who frequently defects from his own party in foreign policy, federal spending and other matters, proposes legislative measures that could tank a bigger package, such as appropriations bills and a farm bill.
“Rand Paul’s a freaking snake. And I understand completely why his neighbor did what he did. And I told him that to his face,” Mullin said, according to Oklahoma conservative talk show host David Arnett, who wrote about the remarks on his Substack.
Mullin was referring to a 2017 attack in which Paul was assaulted by a neighbor in a dispute over lawn maintenance.
Federal judge this week said Noem could be deposed in FEMA lawsuit
Two days before Noem’s ouster, a federal judge in San Francisco ordered that the secretary could be questioned under oath in a lawsuit opposing staff cuts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
District Judge Susan Illston’s decision was “very unusual” said Laurie L. Levenson, law professor at Loyola Marymount University’s Loyola Law School.
“It’s an indication that the court was really frustrated because they’re not getting a straight story from the government,” Levenson said.
A coalition led by labor unions sued the Trump administration in January after it didn’t renew expiring contracts for hundreds of term-limited disaster employees.
White House: Trump thankful to Noem, Mullin is ‘extraordinarily qualified’
The White House press secretary says the administration will work with the Senate to confirm Mullin to replace Noem “as quickly as possible.”
Karoline Leavitt said Mullin was “extraordinarily qualified” for the post. She added that Trump was “grateful” to Noem for “helping usher in the most secure border in American history.”
“President Trump’s immigration agenda is keeping our borders secure and deporting illegal alien criminals from our country, and it will continue without interruption,” Leavitt said in a post on X.
Marimar Martinez lawyer welcomes accountability
An attorney for Marimar Martinez, a Chicago woman who was shot five times by a federal agent, said he was pleased to see accountability for government officials who “push out false narratives.”
“Greg Bovino, Tricia McLaughlin, and now Kristy Noem. Everyone involved in the spreading of lies about Marimar Martinez is out of their job,” said Christopher Parente, who represents Martinez.
“Now it is time for the FBI to do their job and investigate Agent Charles Exum and his Border Patrol buddies for their lies and his unlawful shooting of Ms Martinez. Justice delayed is justice denied,” he said.
Noem sharply criticized for her FEMA performance
Noem has faced blistering criticism from lawmakers of both parties recently about her handling of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is part of DHS.
Critics said her policy of requiring that she personally approve agency expenditures of $100,000 or more slowed billions of dollars in disaster reimbursements to states and even delayed emergency response.
“You’ve failed at FEMA,” Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina told Noem during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this week in which he lambasted her for delayed funds for Hurricane Helene recovery.
What to know about Markwayne Mullin
U.S. President Donald Trump says he’s picked Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security.
Gregory Bovino, a Border Patrol official who was elevated under Noem’s watch to lead immigration crackdowns in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis, was one of the few who applauded Noem’s tenure on Thursday.
“She is the best Secretary I ever worked for, period. The others weren’t even close. Noem is the ultimate patriot who cared deeply about the Mean Green Team, and I am privileged to know and work for her,” Bovino wrote to the AP.
The Mean Green Team refers to the Border Patrol, whose agents wear green uniforms.
Trump removed Bovino from Minneapolis after federal authorities killed nurse Alex Pretti, an act that Bovino and Noem immediately defended and attacked Pretti as the aggressor despite video evidence that appeared to contradict them.
What is ‘The Shield of the Americas?’
Trump said he is appointing Noem to serve as his “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas” as he announced her ouster from DHS.
Trump is gathering with the leaders of 11 Latin American countries for a “Shield” summit on Saturday at his golf club in Doral, Florida.
The name of the gathering is supposed to reflect Trump’s vision for U.S. national security strategy to put a greater emphasis on the Western Hemisphere, as he looks to leverage U.S. military and intelligence assets unseen in the region since the end of the Cold War.
Noem, speaking in Nashville, confirmed she will be at the summit and that Trump will announce “a big agreement” that will detail “how we’re going to go after cartels and drug trafficking in the entire Western Hemisphere.”
Noem reacts to her ouster
“Thank you @POTUS Trump for appointing me as the Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas,” Noem wrote on X.
She added that she looked forward to working with top administration officials “to dismantle cartels that have poured drugs into our nation and killed our children and grandchildren.”
She also said that, during her tenure, the department “delivered the MOST secure border in American history” and that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had “delivered disaster relief at a 100% faster rate.”
The post followed Noem making no mention of being ousted during a more than 30-minute address and question-and-answer session at a law enforcement event in Nashville.
Noem becomes another Trump official to be offered a soft landing
Noem is the first Trump Cabinet member to be ousted from her post, but the president lining up a new job for her is actually part of a trend.
Trump announced that Noem will become a “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas.” That’s a new security initiative that the president said would focus on the Western Hemisphere.
Former national security adviser Mike Walz was nominated as United Nations ambassador after he mistakenly added a journalist to a Signal chat discussing military plans last year.
Trump also tapped IRS Commissioner Billy Long to be his ambassador to Iceland after Long contradicted the administration’s messaging in his less than two months in the job.
And Trump said in August that State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce would be deputy representative to the U.N. after leaving the State Department.
DHS has been shut down for 20 days
Noem’s agency, the Department of Homeland Security, has also been shut down for 20 days, although much of the employees are continuing to work, albeit without pay.
Mullin plans to work closely with Trump
Voting in the Senate just after the announcement, Mullin said he has “no idea” how quickly his nomination will move.
“The president and I are good friends. So we look forward to working closer with the White House, and obviously I’m gonna be over there a lot more,” he said.
Mullin would take over at a pivotal time
Mullin would take over the third-largest department in government that has responsibility for carrying out Trump’s hardline immigration agenda.
And he takes the office at a pivotal time for that agenda. Immigration enforcement during the first year of Trump’s administration was largely defined by high-profile, made-for-social-media operations with flashy names that were often led by Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who reported directly to Noem.
Noem herself often went out on those operations, riding along with officers when they went out to make arrests.
Mullin told reporters at the Capitol that he would get DHS “focused on protecting the homeland.”
“Whether you support me or don’t support me, I’m going to be laser-focused on getting that done,” he added.
He also said that he spoke to Trump just before the announcement went out.
Noem makes no mention of her firing during speech
Noem spoke for more than 20 minutes, but didn’t mention her firing as she spoke to the Sergeant Benevolent Association Major Cities Conference in Nashville on Thursday.
Even when she began answering audience questions, no one mentioned it. Asked about future law enforcement grants, Noem seemed to suggest that she would continue to be on the job.
“I think your best options for funding alternatives would be through some grants that with the department, we have specific grants towards, terrorism grants,” she said at one point. “So maybe what I’ll do is I will forward those grant opportunities to all of you so that you can share them with your departments and have that opportunity.”
Mullin is a close ally of Trump
Mullin would need to be confirmed by the Senate, but under a federal law governing executive branch vacancies, he would be allowed to serve as an acting DHS secretary as long as his nomination is formally pending.
Mullin was already close with Trump, at times acting as a conduit between the White House and Capitol Hill.
Mullin is at the end of his first term in the Senate and has also worked closely with Senate GOP leadership.
He previously served in the House and maintains many relationships with House members, including sometimes leading gym workouts.
Some Republican lawmakers anticipated Noem’s ouster
Even before Noem’s disastrous performance before key congressional committees this week, Republican lawmakers had been anticipating the secretary’s eventual ouster, particularly after her handling of the immigration enforcement crackdown in Minneapolis that led to the deaths of two U.S. citizens.
As they tried to end the ongoing Homeland Security shutdown, Senate Republicans had noted privately to Democratic senators that Noem was likely on her way out — and that that should prompt Democrats to move forward with agreeing to fund the department again, according to two people familiar with the discussions.
Minneapolis mayor happy to see Noem go
Reacting to Noem’s ouster, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey wrote “good riddance” on social media.
Two U.S. citizens were killed by federal agents in Minneapolis earlier this year during an aggressive immigration enforcement operation that Noem helped oversee.
Noem’s dismissal made public on Truth Social
Though Trump’s second term has not been marked by the abrupt firings, often delivered by an unceremonious social media missive, as during his first term, Noem’s dismissal was still made public via Trump’s favorite medium: his Truth Social account.
Rather than ousting people from his administration, in his second term, Trump has preferred to shift people with rocky tenures to various diplomatic posts.
Mullin would need to be confirmed by the Senate
However, under a federal law governing executive branch vacancies, he would be allowed to serve as an acting Homeland Security secretary as long as his nomination is formally pending.
Noem was grilled before Congress this week
Noem appeared in two back-to-back Congressional hearings this week where she defended her department’s immigration enforcement tactics and pushed back against criticism from Democrats who say she wrongly disparaged two protesters killed by federal officers in Minneapolis earlier this year.
It was Noem’s first congressional appearance since the shooting deaths of the two protesters.
Both hearings stretched five hours featured angry Democrats repeatedly lambasting her. But in a sign of her wavering support, they also featured some criticism from Republicans.
In one exchange, retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina called her leadership a “disaster” and skewered her handling of the immigration crackdown and her management of emergency response.
House Democratic leader reacts
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries posted: “Kristi Noem is gone. Pam Bondi is next. Keep the pressure on these extremists.”
The top Democrat in the U.S House applauded the firing of DHS chief Kristi Noem, while also demanding the Trump administration make policy changes in how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operates.
Who is Markwayne Mullin?
Mullin, who served in the House for years before being elected to the Senate in November 2022, is one of Trump’s closest allies on Capitol Hill and has been a frequent intermediary between the White House and congressional Republicans.
He has often leaned on his longstanding House ties, working with his former colleagues there as the GOP hashed out the party’s sweeping tax and border security law last year.
Noem takes the stage at a DHS event
She took to the podium moments after Trump’s announcement but made no immediate mention of her ouster.
Instead, she read from prepared remarks, including reinforcing Trump’s message from the State of the Union last month.
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
