FIRST ON FOX: A union representing thousands of Border Patrol agents is supporting South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and calling on senators to confirm her nomination “expeditiously.”
“On behalf of the men and women of the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) who protect our nation’s borders, we are pleased to lend our support to President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee, Governor Kristi Noem, to be the next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security,” National Border Patrol Council Chairman Paul Perez wrote in a letter to Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Rand. Paul, R-Ky., chairman and ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, respectively.
Perez sent the letter, which was obtained by Fox News Digital, to senators on Thursday, joining a growing chorus of law enforcement groups supporting Noem. DHS oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The union, which represents about 18,000 Border Patrol agents, wrote in its letter to Paul and Peters that Noem has demonstrated her ability to “get things done” both in South Dakota and on the national stage when she assisted in “Operation ” from Texas. Lone Star” to fight the immigration crisis.
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Former President Trump listens as South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem speaks during a Buckeye Values PAC rally in Vandalia, Ohio, on March 16, 2024. (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)
“Governor Noem is a seasoned leader who knows how to get things done, not only as chief executive of her home state but also in Washington, DC, where she served with distinction and integrity in the United States House of Representatives,” Perez wrote in the letter, which was also sent to Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., the incoming Senate majority leader.
“Governor Noem was the first governor to deploy National Guard personnel to the Texas border to support Operation Lone Star. This deployment bolstered our resources at a critical time along the border and helped protect Texans and Americans alike.”
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Noem has repeatedly deployed South Dakota National Guard troops to the southern Texas border to help stop illegal border crossings.
Migrants wait in line next to the border fence, under the surveillance of the Texas National Guard, to enter El Paso, Texas, on May 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrés Leighton, file)
“The border is a war zone, which is why we are sending soldiers,” Noem said in a press release in February, which marked the fifth deployment of National Guard troops to the border under the Biden administration. “The primary mission of these soldiers will be to build a wall to stop the flow of illegal immigrants, drug cartels and human trafficking into the United States of America.”
Earlier this month, Washington, D.C. insiders told Fox News Digital that they anticipate Noem will gain endorsements from a long list of law enforcement groups for her federal nomination.
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Fox News Digital previously reported that the largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers, the Fraternal Order of Police, sent letters to both President-elect Trump and Paul outlining their strong support for Noem as secretary of homeland security.
”Governor Noem has been a long-time ally of the FOP during her tenure in the House of Representatives and as governor of South Dakota. The South Dakota State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police endorsed Governor Noem for his 2022 re-election campaign, citing his belief in the rule of law and his commitment to public safety,” Fraternal Order of Police national president Patrick Yoes wrote in a November letter to Trump, which was obtained by Fox News Digital.
Immigrants are photographed at a U.S. Border Patrol processing center after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on Dec. 7, 2023, in Lukeville, Arizona. (John Moore/Getty Images)
Perez echoed that sentiment toward Border Patrol agents, specifically, calling for Noem’s quick confirmation to bolster border and national security overall.
“We are confident that, as Secretary, Governor Noem will continue to ensure that Border Patrol agents have the resources and manpower we need to secure our border. We urge you to quickly begin considering this critical nomination and confirm Governor Noem as Secretary once President Trump is sworn in,” Perez said.
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Noem has served as governor of the Mount Rushmore State since 2019, and notably gained national attention and praise from conservatives during the pandemic when she opposed lockdown orders and mask mandates common in liberal states like California and New York.
Governor Kristi Noem visits “Varney & Co.” from FOX Business Network. on May 7, 2024, in New York City. (John Lamparski/Getty Images)
Trump, who ran on a promise to end the immigration crisis at the southern border and crack down on the deadly drug epidemic ravaging communities across the country, announced Noem’s nomination just days after her decisive victory. about Vice President Kamala Harris last month.
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“Kristi has been very strong on border security. She was the first governor to send National Guard soldiers to help Texas fight Biden’s border crisis, and they were sent a total of eight times. She will work closely with the ‘ border czar’ Tom Homan. to secure the border and will ensure our American homeland is safe from our adversaries. I have known Kristi for years and have worked with her on a wide variety of projects. She will be a big part of our mission. to make America be safe. Again,” he wrote last month. in your ad.
Noem began meeting with Senate lawmakers last week to drum up their support for the confirmation process.
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“We just had great conversations with Senator Peters, talking about some concerns within the agency, about what we can do to solidify our national security interests,” Noem told reporters, according to Roll Call. “And I think Republicans and Democrats in this country recognize how important national security is and that we are working together to make sure that we are safe.”
