US President Donald Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Christy Noam today and said he would nominate Oklahoma Senator Marquan Mullin in her place, the Associated Press reported.
Trump announced his decision on social media just two days after Noam was subjected to tough questions during a hearing in the US Congress by members of both the Republican and Democratic Parties.
The US president said he would appoint Noam as "Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas" - a new strategic security initiative that Trump says will focus on the Western Hemisphere.
Noam is the first member of the current cabinet to leave during Trump's second term. Her departure ends a tumultuous period for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, during which immigration enforcement has sparked protests and lawsuits, the AP notes.