The Senate confirmed Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary on Saturday, putting the South Dakota governor in charge of a sprawling agency that is essential to national security and President Donald Trump's plans to clamp down on illegal immigration.

The Senate voted on Saturday morning to confirm Kristi Noem as President Donald Trump’s Homeland Security secretary, installing a long-time Trump ally at the helm of an agency poised to play a central role in the president’s promised immigration crackdown.

The US Senate voted to confirm Kristi Noem as the Homeland Security Secretary in the new Trump administration. The installation of a longtime Trump ally at the helm of an agency is poised to play a central role in the president's promised immigration crackdown,