What to know
Video length: 57s
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem was ousted in the first cabinet shakeup of President Donald Trump's second term on Thursday.
- Noem received bipartisan criticism for the agency’s handling of the immigration crackdown, delays in emergency response and self-promotion in a $220 million ad campaign.
- Trump said he will nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to become the next head of DHS; Mullin now faces a Senate confirmation hearing.
Why it matters
The agency has been roiled by widespread backlash over its aggressive tactics, including the shooting deaths in January of two Americans in Minnesota, Alex Pretti and Renée Good. The incidents resulted in demands for new DHS leadership, including by a few Republicans at the time.
Discussion questions
- Why was Noem fired as head of DHS? Do you think it was justified? Why or why not?
- How do you think the next head of DHS should handle immigration enforcement?
For more
Watch News Hour's broadcast segment of this story, Trump fires Noem amid controversies over her leadership at DHS from March 5, 2026 (5 mins).
Watch Noem defends aggressive immigration tactics amid bipartisan criticism from March 3, 2026 (3m:40s).
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