Trump homeland security pick calls border ‘number one’ threat

WASHINGTON: US Homeland Security secretary nominee Kristi Noem said on Friday weaknesses at the southern border are the country´s “number one threat” as she set out her vision for the department that will oversee Donald Trump´s promised immigration crackdown.

The South Dakota governor would be in overall charge of Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) -- agencies on the front line of US efforts to get to grips with a surge in undocumented migrants in recent years.

The department also leads on cybersecurity, terrorism and federal emergency management -- another hot-button issue in the wake of last year´s two devastating hurricanes and the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles.

Noem, 53, is best known internationally for sinking her chances of being Trump´s vice-presidential pick with her cheerful admission that she had shot her dog, Cricket, because it was “untrainable.”

Despite her state´s distance from Mexico, Noem sent National Guards troops to the frontier, earning plaudits from the Republican right.

In her opening statement, she said the southern border would be a top priority, asserting America´s “responsibility to secure our borders against those who would do us harm,” while stressing that the system must be fair and lawful.

Underlining her focus on the issue, she was asked about domestic terrorism but pivoted back to the border.

“This is a grave concern for our country, as we all agree that the number one threat to our homeland security is the southern border,” she said.