South Dakota governor to head Homeland Security

US President-elect Donald Trump is tapping South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to head the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), CNN said, selecting a loyalist once seen as a potential vice-presidential candidate for a job that includes securing the US border and carrying out a promised mass deportation.

Ms Noem would join Mr Tom Homan, Trump's pick for White House "border czar", and Mr Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner, in the administration after Trump takes office on Jan 20, CNN said, citing two people familiar with the decision who it did not identify. Unlike Mr Homan and Mr Miller, however, Ms Noem's position requires Senate confirmation.

Created following the Sept 11 terror attacks in 2001, the department holds diverse responsibilities, including cyber security, investigating domestic terrorism threats, responding to natural disasters and enforcing customs laws.