Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said he will prioritize confirming South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) to head the Department of Homeland Security once President-elect Trump takes office in January.
“My first job is to get her confirmed, and I'm going to try to do that on Inauguration Day or the week after,” Paul, the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, told John on “Cats Roundtable.”・Told Kasimatidis. . ”.
Despite supporting Noem, Paul has expressed support for deporting people who are in the country illegally and have committed crimes, but strongly opposes the use of the military to carry out deportation operations. are.
“They don't have the training to get warrants to do what they're doing. Police have a difficult job, but it's the police, not the military, that removes people from our country. It needs to be a national institution,” Paul said on Newsmax's “Rob Schmidt Tonight” last month.
President Trump has vowed to use any means necessary to deport illegal immigrants.
Caroline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Trump's transition team, said the president-elect “is committed to launching the largest deportation operation of illegal criminals, drug traffickers, and human traffickers in U.S. history while reducing costs for families.” “We will mobilize all necessary federal and state powers.”
In lieu of Paul's dissent, he has previously continued to offer staunch support for Noem. National Guard To the South Dakota border.
“We sent in the Guard because they are used to combat zones near the border,” she said in 2021 after sending in the National Guard.
“They are prepared and trained for it and can handle it.”
Over the past four years, she has sent troops to the border multiple times to combat illegal border crossings. her latest order Published in February.
“We're sending soldiers to the border because it's a war zone,” Noem said. “The primary mission of these soldiers is to build a wall to stem the flow of illegal immigration, drug cartels, and human trafficking into the United States.”
