Quick Answer: Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem is an American politician serving as the United States special envoy for the Shield of the Americas since 2026. From 2025 to 2026, she served as the eighth United States secretary of homeland security. A member of the Republican Party, she served from 2019 to 2025 as the 33rd governor of South Dakota and represented South Dakota's at-large congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019. During her tenure at the Department of Homeland Security, her immigration policies generated controversies, particularly following the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Born in Watertown, South Dakota, Noem began her political career in the South Dakota House of Representatives, serving from 2007 to 2011. She was elected as the first female governor of South Dakota in 2018 with the endorsement of President Donald Trump.