Gov. Kristi Noem’s handling of several key issues in South Dakota offers a lens into how she may manage her sprawling responsibilities at the Department of Homeland Security.

If confirmed by the Senate, Noem would oversee the DHS, a 245,000-employee federal department whose mission is protecting the people of the United States. For context, the largest city in South Dakota is Sioux Falls, with 213,000 residents. South Dakota has a population of more than 800,000 residents.

Donald Trump tapped South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to head the Department of Homeland Security, but some residents back home doubt she's qualified to keep the nation safe. The Republican governor's handling of several key issues in her home state prompted some residents to express doubts that she could successfully manage the sprawling bureaucracy

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to confirm South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as the nation's next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and she has not hidden her views on the subject of immigration.

Noem was widely ridiculed for admitting she shot and killed her family dog in her book published earlier this year.

Throughout the country, Noem’s focus on the border has endeared her to the Republican grass roots. The Shelby County GOP, in Tennessee, honored Noem at its annual Lincoln Day dinner over the summer, said the local party’s chairman, Cary Vaughn, because, “She’s a great zealot and advocate for fighting for border control.”