Kristi Noem
Secretary of Homeland Security
Kristi Noem currently serves as the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, appointed by President Donald Trump in January 2025 following her tenure as Governor of South Dakota and as a U.S. Representative. Known for her staunch conservative stance on immigration and border security, her tenure has been marked by aggressive enforcement policies, including the controversial "Operation At Large." She faced backlash over a misleading list of so-called "sanctuary" cities and stirred further controversy after claiming an immigrant had threatened to kill President Trump—an assertion that was later questioned. Noem's memoir, No Going Back, drew criticism for recounting the euthanization of her dog, Cricket, and a later-retracted claim of meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Her relationship with Native American communities remains tense, especially after she alleged tribal involvement in drug trafficking, resulting in her being banned from all nine South Dakota reservations.
Noem revealed in her memoir No Going Back that she killed her dog, Cricket.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem faced widespread backlash after revealing in her memoir No Going Back that she shot and killed her 14-month-old dog, Cricket, describing it as "untrainable" and dangerous. The dog had reportedly attacked chickens and tried to bite her. The revelation, published by The Guardian in April, sparked public outrage and was mocked on Saturday Night Live. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said the incident ended any chance of Noem being chosen as Donald Trump’s running mate. In response to criticism, Noem defended her actions on Fox News, saying she made the decision as a mother concerned for her children's safety.
Noem is not allowed on tribal reservations.
Native Children are "Hopeless"
Kristi Noem has been banned from all nine federally recognized tribal reservations in the state after making inflammatory comments suggesting drug cartels operate on tribal lands and accusing tribal leaders of benefiting from this activity. Her remarks, including claims that Native children are "hopeless," sparked outrage among Indigenous leaders, who view her statements as offensive, misleading, and politically motivated.
Cartel Activity
The controversy began after a speech in which Noem linked cartel activity to reservations. Tribal leaders demanded an apology, which never came. In response, each tribe, including the Lower Brule and Oglala Sioux, formally banned her, stating she would be charged with trespassing if she entered.
History of opposing tribal interests
Noem has doubled down on her statements and framed her actions as support for tribal law enforcement. Critics, however, argue she is using Native issues to boost her national profile. They also point to her history of opposing tribal interests, such as signing anti-protest laws during the Keystone XL pipeline protests. Tribal leaders say Noem's comments ignore the federal government’s failure to provide adequate law enforcement and support to reservations, and many see her rhetoric as a continuation of historical mistreatment of Indigenous peoples.
Noem claimed to have met Kim Jong Un.
Kristi Noem faced significant backlash over her new book No Going Back, which contains factual errors and controversial anecdotes. Among the most criticized claims is a false statement that she met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Her office later admitted this was a mistake, blaming it on the ghostwriter and promising to correct future editions. Another dubious claim involved a canceled meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, which Macron’s office said was never formally arranged.
Noem was at Trump's strange Pennsylvania town hall dance.
Medical Emergencies
At a campaign town hall in the Philadelphia suburbs, what began as a standard event turned into an unexpected dance party after two medical emergencies interrupted Donald Trump’s speech. As the crowd settled, Trump remained onstage instead of exiting to his usual “YMCA” outro, dancing for about 40 minutes to an eclectic playlist including Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” Rufus Wainwright’s “Hallelujah,” and Guns N’ Roses’ “November Rain.”
Uncomfortable dance session
Kristi Noem joined Trump onstage during the impromptu dance session. She appeared upbeat and participated in the moment, dancing alongside him and smiling. The two shared the spotlight as the surreal scene unfolded. Though many attendees eventually began heading for the exits, some stayed for the entire DJ-style set. Trump finally exited the stage to “Memory” from the musical Cats.
Noem took pictures in front of prisoners at CECOT
Staged Image for Political Gain
Kristi Noem is facing intense criticism for a controversial photo op at El Salvador’s notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT). Just hours after a federal appeals court upheld a block on the Trump administration's use of the centuries-old Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan migrants, Noem released a video from inside the prison, warning that illegal immigrants could face similar punishment. Her appearance, in front of shirtless, tattooed prisoners, was widely seen as a political stunt and a defiant provocation amid ongoing legal battles. Critics called the visit a new low, with some labeling her “Cosplay Kristi” for her repeated theatrical photo ops in staged law enforcement settings.
Implications
The administration is under fire for defying a federal judge’s order to stop deportation flights, which nonetheless proceeded. The Trump team claimed they weren’t bound by the judge’s oral order and has refused to share details, citing national security. Noem’s comments implied the detainees were gang members, but families of those deported say they were targeted simply for having tattoos. The case remains under legal review, but one appeals court judge starkly condemned the administration’s actions, saying, “Nazis got better treatment under the Alien Enemies Act.”
Noem does not know what Habeus Corpus is or means.
The Power to Deport People
During a Senate hearing on the Department of Homeland Security’s 2026 budget, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem came under fire for incorrectly defining habeas corpus as a presidential power to deport people. When asked by Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) to explain the term, Noem claimed it was "a constitutional right that the president has to remove people," which is false.
Sen. Hassan corrected her, explaining that habeas corpus is a fundamental legal protection against unlawful imprisonment. Noem later added that she supports habeas corpus but claimed the president has constitutional authority to suspend it—a power that, in fact, belongs to Congress and only in extreme circumstances like rebellion or invasion.
A Troubling Trend of Misstatements
Legal experts, including Duke law professor Brandon Garrett, criticized Noem’s comments as part of a troubling trend of misstatements by officials about core constitutional rights. The issue comes amid broader controversy over the Trump administration’s efforts to use the Alien Enemies Act to deport undocumented immigrants without due process, a move currently blocked by the Supreme Court. Historical context shows the president cannot unilaterally suspend habeas corpus; even Abraham Lincoln’s 1861 suspension required later congressional approval.
Noem posted a list of sanctuary cities on the DHS website that was later removed due to criticism.
Kristi Noem was forced to quietly remove a controversial list of so-called “sanctuary” cities and counties from the Department of Homeland Security website after intense backlash—including from the pro-Trump National Sheriffs’ Association, which called the list “arbitrary” and a betrayal of law enforcement. The list, ordered by Donald Trump in an April executive order, targeted cities like New York, Boston, and Chicago for allegedly obstructing immigration enforcement—but also included places that had never adopted sanctuary policies. Sheriffs criticized the rollout for lacking input, clear criteria, or a process for objections, warning it undermined trust between law enforcement and the White House. DHS couldn’t even say who created or verified the list, and by Sunday, it had vanished from the agency’s website. Noem defended the list in an interview, despite the widespread outrage and internal dissent.
Noem allegedly framed an immigrant in order to prevent him from testifying as a victim in an assault trial.
Noem announced the arrest of Ramon Morales Reyes, a 54-year-old undocumented immigrant, claiming he sent a letter threatening to shoot Trump and then flee to Mexico. The letter was widely circulated by DHS, the White House, and Trump allies. However, investigators now believe Morales Reyes may have been framed, possibly to prevent him from testifying as a victim in an upcoming assault trial in Wisconsin. A handwriting analysis reportedly found no match between him and the letter, which casts doubt on the credibility of the threat. Morales Reyes, a dishwasher in Milwaukee with no known convictions, had applied for a U visa, available to crime victims. His lawyers insist he cannot read or write in Spanish or English, making it impossible for him to have authored the threat. DHS still claims the investigation is ongoing, but pressure is mounting for the agency to retract the accusation and clear Morales Reyes’ name.
Kristi Noem secretly accepted huge sum of money from mystery donor - then failed to declare it
While serving as South Dakota’s governor in 2023, Kristi Noem secretly accepted $80,000 through a private company she created, Ashwood Strategies, as a cut of fundraising proceeds from a dark money nonprofit, the American Resolve Policy Fund, which promotes her political profile. This arrangement, which experts called highly unusual and ethically troubling, was not disclosed on her federal financial forms—despite being required when she was nominated for a Cabinet post. Instead of acknowledging the income from the nonprofit, Noem left it off her public disclosures, raising concerns about transparency and legality. The source of the funds remains unknown due to the nonprofit’s donor secrecy, and experts say the move may violate both federal ethics rules and South Dakota’s laws barring governors from engaging in undisclosed outside employment.