Outgoing Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has been appointed as special envoy to the newly launched ‘Shield of the Americas’ initiative, President Donald Trump announced on Thursday. The initiative aims to curb mass migration to the United States and dismantle drug cartels through collaboration with allied Latin American leaders.
The Shield of the Americas is a summit that will bring together leaders such as Argentina’s President Javier Milei and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. The first summit is scheduled for Saturday in Miami, Florida, where attendees will sign the Doral Charter, affirming the right of Western Hemisphere nations to self-determination free from foreign interference.
Noem’s appointment follows her removal from the Department of Homeland Security, where she oversaw an aggressive anti-immigration operation resulting in 675,000 deportations and the deaths of three US citizens. In a statement, Noem expressed gratitude for the role and said she looks forward to working with regional leaders to dismantle cartels.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly stated that the initiative builds on Trump’s ‘Donroe Doctrine’, a policy asserting US pre-eminence in the Western Hemisphere. The summit will include Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other officials.
Notably absent from the invited leaders are Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum, Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro. The initiative is seen as part of broader US efforts to exert influence in the region, including recent actions in Venezuela and Cuba.
