Will Oliver / EPA
Kristi Noem, former US Secretary of Homeland Security
Secretary of Homeland Security leaves, after accumulating criticism of immigration repression and response to disasters.
The American President, Donald Trump, fired this Thursday the US Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, following growing criticism of his leadership in the department, including his handling of the crackdown on immigration and in response to catastrophes.
Trump, who stated he would nominate the Republican senator Markwayne Mullin, of Oklahoma, in her place, made the announcement on social media, two days after Noem was questioned at the Capitol by members of the Republican Party and also the Democratic Party.
Trump said he will nominate Noem as “Special Envoy for the Protection of the Americas”a new security initiative that, according to the North American head of state, will focus on the Western Hemisphere.
This decision comes after congressional hearings with Kristi Noem, when the now former secretary was asked about the attribution of an important contract government: almost 200 million euros for an advertising campaign for your department.
Congressmen from both parties questioned the hiring process; the money was allocated to companies linked to Republicans, without the normal public tender. One of the companies was created just a week before receiving R$123 million for the campaign. And there was contradiction over whether Trump had approved the campaign.
In the chapter on immigration, Noem was heavily criticized after describing two deadly episodes involving US citizens shot by federal agents as “domestic terrorism” and aggressive acts.
In practice, the idea that took hold in Washington was that of a politically flashy, but administratively vulnerable, with questions about expenses, priorities and internal functioning.
Kristi Noem was known as the “Barbie do ICE” – a nickname in the form of criticism: a figure very focused on the visual staging of migration policy (ICE is the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency). Lots of tactical equipment, strong media presence and a well-crafted public aesthetic.
