WASHINGTON

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Department of Homeland Security secretary, Kristi Noem, described the US-Mexico border as a “war zone” during her Senate confirmation hearing on Friday and pledged to make border security a "top priority".

“It is a war zone down there,” Noem, currently South Dakota Governor, said, defending her decision to deploy the National Guard to Texas in 2021 to address what she called a “national security crisis.”

"If confirmed as secretary, I'll ensure that our exceptional, extraordinary Border Patrol agents have all the tools and resources and support that they need to carry out their mission," she said before Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee.

Noem pledged to provide Border Patrol agents with the tools, resources, and support needed to fulfill their mission. She added that the same commitment extends to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees, who are tasked with "apprehending, detaining and deporting illegal immigrants and getting criminal aliens off of our streets and out of the country."

“Border security must remain a top priority as a nation. We have the right and the responsibility to secure our borders against those who would do us harm,” she said.

She also highlighted the recent attacks in New Orlean and Las Vegas, describing them as "deadly reminders that terrorism and radicalization remain very real threats to our homeland."

In addition to her focus on border security, Noem addressed the growing threat of cyberattacks, calling for a “whole-of-government approach” to enhance cybersecurity.