South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s nomination to head the Department of Homeland Security is being welcomed by law-and-order advocates and southern border stakeholders as she prepares to meet with the Senate on Friday for a confirmation hearing.

President-elect Trump announced her as his choice on Nov. 12, just days after beating Vice President Harris in the election, who was widely condemned as ineffective on border security under President Biden.

“She was the first Governor to send National Guard Soldiers to help Texas fight the Biden Border Crisis, and they were sent a total of eight times,” the Trump transition team noted in a statement announcing her nomination. “She will work closely with ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan to secure the Border, and will guarantee that our American Homeland is secure from our adversaries.”

Trump made combating migrant crime central to his campaign, an important issue for voters that went largely ignored by Democrats, who dismissed congressional hearings involving testimony from victims’ families as politically motivated.

Arizona rancher Jim Chilton speaks at the Republican National Convention on July 17, 2024. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

“We had an open border, where our agents were so busy processing family units and unaccompanied children,” he added. “Meanwhile, all of these dangerous criminals were eluding law enforcement, and what that means is many criminals have entered the U.S. and are now living in our communities.”

Those threats include members of the violent, transnational gangs MS-13 and Tren de Aragua.

“They are terrorizing our fellow citizens in the U.S.,” Garza said. “Now we’re going to have a very difficult job to undo everything that the Biden administration has done.”

Hector Garza speaks during a news briefing alongside then-President Trump on Jan. 3, 2018. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

However, he said, he is confident they can get the job done with the backing of Trump, Noem, Homan, Customs and Border Protection commissioner nominee Rodney Scott and supportive members in Congress.

“President Trump can’t do it alone,” he said. “Congress is a very important piece of the puzzle.”

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (Brandon Bell/Getty Images/File)

Noem, who has advocated for stronger border measures for more than a decade, has vowed to both secure the border and “restore safety to American communities” – many of which have been plagued by migrant crime in recent years. Before she won election to the South Dakota governor’s office, she served in the House of Representatives and as a state lawmaker.

Shocking slayings have victimized women and girls around the country, in Texas, Maryland, Georgia, Massachusetts and elsewhere, repeatedly grabbing national attention during the Biden-Harris administration. 

Trump has invited some of the victims’ families to attend his inauguration to a second term on Monday.