Kristi Noem is out as US Secretary of Homeland Security after just over a year in the job- removed following months of bipartisan criticism and a string of controversies that ranged from deadly immigration raids to a $220 million ad campaign featuring her on horseback and a blanket dispute that ended a pilot’s career.
US President Donald Trump announced that Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin would replace her. Kristi Noem had been the official responsible for delivering Trump’s mass deportation agenda- boosting deportations to 675,000 in the president’s first year, though that fell short of the White House’s stated goal of one million per year.
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Here is a look at the controversies that defined and ultimately ended Kristi Noem’s tenure:
Two Americans Killed In Immigration Raids
The crisis that did the most damage to Kristi Noem’s standing began in Minnesota. Immigration enforcement operations in the Midwestern state sparked protests in Minneapolis and resulted in the fatal shooting of two American citizens- Renee Good and Alex Pretti- in confrontations with federal agents. Kristi Noem responded by accusing both Good and Pretti of domestic terrorism. Mobile phone footage and body camera recordings subsequently raised questions about her department’s account of the incidents.
Luxury Jets And A Plush Bedroom
Kristi Noem faced persistent accusations of wasting agency funds throughout her tenure. She approved the purchase of two Gulfstream G700 luxury jets and the department had plans to acquire a third aircraft- a Boeing 737- for approximately $70 million. Kristi Noem defended the spending, describing the jets as “long-range command and control aircraft" that would also be used for deportations.
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The $220 Million Horseback Ad Campaign
Source: World News in news18.com, World Latest News, World News
