Kristi Noem will be Trump’s Secretary of Homeland Security

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem — you may remember as the politician who wrote about killing her dog and then backed down after criticism — is Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, CNN reported Tuesday. Noem was previously on Trump’s short list for vice president but was ultimately defeated by JD Vance.

The Secretary of Homeland Security is broadly responsible for implementing U.S. immigration policy, and Noem has taken tough stances on immigration in the past, including being a staunch supporter of Trump’s Muslim ban in 2017. In addition to overseeing immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Customs Enforcement Within the Border Patrol (CBP), DHS also manages the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, whose Tribal Government Affairs team handles relations with tribal governments cares. That could be awkward for Noem, who once made such offensive comments about tribal reservations during a speech at the state capitol that all nine of South Dakota’s federally recognized tribes banned her from their reservations The Guardian.

The DHS officer also oversees the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Coast Guard, and several other security and cybersecurity agencies. As a result, Noem will also be tasked with managing the federal response to major crises. Considering that she has made a name for herself as one of the state’s few governors who has refused to take protective measures against COVID-19, it is unclear what response, if any, we might expect from her in a future emergency in the area public health can expect natural disaster.

Between Noem controlling the country’s borders and RFK Jr. potentially managing public health, the country’s population could be facing roughly four years; Hopefully their new jobs will keep them busy enough to at least leave the dogs, bears and whales alone.