Senators from Dakotas, Minnesota react to firing of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem

FARGO — Reaction to the ouster of Kristi Noem as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security varies widely among congressional members in the region.

President Donald Trump notified Noem, a former South Dakota governor, of her dismissal on Thursday, March 5.

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She had drawn heavy criticism for a surge of federal immigration agents to Minneapolis that resulted in two U.S. citizens being fatally shot, and had been questioned this week about a $220 million ad campaign heavily featuring her, which Trump later said he had not signed off on.

North Dakota Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer said in a statement that he respects and admires Noem and hopes she’ll continue to be an advocate and ally for Trump.

"I’m sorry it happened, but a fresh start is a fresh start and maybe it’s an opportunity to move forward in a different way. Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, we stemmed the tide of illegal aliens flowing into the country, we reduced the flow of fentanyl, and she was a great spokesman for the President’s agenda, but sometimes success is also a matter of timing,” Cramer said in the statement.

His North Dakota colleague, Republican Sen. John Hoeven, focused more on the person who’s been tapped to replace Noem, Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin.

Hoeven called Mullin “a good choice” to lead Homeland Security.

“President Trump was elected to secure our borders and Secretary Noem has played an important role in his administration stopping illegal immigration. I look forward to working with Senator Mullin in this new role and that begins with getting him confirmed,” Hoeven said in a statement.

Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar had harsh words for Noem in a post on the social media platform X.

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She said at this week’s Senate oversight hearing, she pressed Noem about calling Alex Pretti and Renee Good “domestic terrorists” and about wrongful stops and arrests of American citizens.

Under the leadership of Secretary Noem, the constitutional rights of people across our state were violated and two Minnesotans were killed. Alex Pretti and Renee Good should be alive today.

— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar)

At this week’s oversight hearing in the Senate, I pressed Secretary Noem on the lies she…[March 5, 2026]

“Secretary Noem’s overdue removal from the Department of Homeland Security is a step toward accountability, but it is only the beginning,” Klobuchar wrote.

Her counterpart, Minnesota Democratic Sen. Tina Smith, said Noem led a “lawless and violent agency” that wreaked havoc on the state and killed two Americans.

“Her firing is welcome news, but it is much too late,” Smith said in a statement.

“Until Congress passes meaningful restraints to rein in ICE’s terror, nothing will substantively change. ICE will take its reckless and dangerous behavior to whichever city or town the President decides to target next,” she said.

A senator from South Dakota, the state Noem once governed, didn’t address her dismissal directly.

A reporter in Washington asked Senate Republican Leader John Thune whether he was disappointed in Noem’s handling of the department, to the point she was fired.

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“I've always said … those decisions are made by the president and all of these Cabinet-level people serve at his discretion and pleasure,” Thune said, according to a statement provided by his press secretary.

The Forum reached out to the office of Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., but did not immediately receive a response.