President-elect Donald Trump's choice for Homeland Security secretary portrayed illegal immigration as an "invasion" and the U.S.-Mexico border as a "war zone" during a U.S. Senate confirmation on Friday where she pledged to back Trump's hard line on immigration.

President-elect Donald Trump's planned immigration crackdown emerged as a top theme at a U.S. Senate confirmation hearing for South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, his choice for secretary of Homeland Security and a Republican who mirrors his hardline views.

President-elect Donald Trump was taken aback by the firestorm against South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) after she crowed about gunning down a 14-month wirehaired pointer named Cricket in her book

Gov. Kristi Noem has ordered that the state's flags — which have been flying at half-staff since the death of President Jimmy Carter on Dec. 29 — be raised Monday to honor the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.

Noem vowed Friday to immediately halt the controversial mobile app that lets migrants register to enter the US.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of Homeland Security, speaks with Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee for her confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD) is expected to cruise through the process to confirmation after surviving a fairly quiet hearing that lasted less than three hours.

So far, Kristi Noem appears to have strong backing from GOP senators who will be crucial to her confirmation as head of the Department of Homeland Security.

Kristi Noem, the nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, called the U.S. southern border a ‘war zone’ and said her chief mission at the helm of the department would be to get a handle on the immigration crisis.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, isn’t too keen on the department’s whole “thwarting foreign manipulation” thing.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is facing senators during her confirmation hearing as she vies to become the next Homeland Security secretary.