South Dakota's Republican Governor Kristi Noem was confirmed by the Senate as the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in a bipartisan vote on Saturday.

The final vote was 59 to 34, with six Democrats in the upper chamber of Congress joining Republicans to vote in favor of President-elect Donald Trump's nominee. Here is a full list of the Democratic Senators who backed Noem:

This is a developing story and will be updated with additional information.

The US Senate confirmed Kristi Noem as secretary of Homeland Security, mobilizing the sprawling agency to carry out President Donald Trump ’s expansive immigration crackdown.

Noem’s nomination was approved 59-34 on an unusual Saturday session of the Senate. The vote clears the way for her to lead a 260,000-person department that will have a key role in Trump’s border security and immigration enforcement agenda.

The Senate voted 59-34 Saturday to confirm South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as head of the Department of Homeland Security

Why it matters: Noem, a Trump loyalist and immigration hardliner, will play a crucial role in implementing President Trump's immigration policies, including his plans to carry out mass deportations and shut down the border.

The South Dakota governor’s ascension to DHS came as a surprise in some quarters. She doesn’t have a law enforcement background, and during her four terms as a House member she never served on the committee overseeing the department. But she had key support from Trump’s 2016 campaign chief, Corey Lewandowski, and border czar Tom Homan, who advocated for her nomination. Her history as a Trump loyalist also helped her win the nod, as well as her backing of the president’s plans to further crack down on the border and...

Former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has successfully cleared a major hurdle in her Department of Homeland Security confirmation process, officially confirming her in the Senate as the next DHS secretary. The former South Dakota governor navigated the Senate's rigorous vetting process and is now leading the agency under the new Trump administration. Lawmakers gathered for a rare Saturday session to vote on Noem’s confirmation as the head of the top Cabinet position. The Senate ultimately confirmed her with a vote of 59-34. “During her confirmation hearing, I pressed Governor...

The Senate on Saturday approved the nomination of South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), putting her at the center of an administration focused heavily on immigration. The 59-34 vote to confirm Noem capped off a relatively smooth process even as other nominees face more intense scrutiny. Noem will lead one of the most sprawling agencies in government and one of particular importance in a Trump administration determined to crack down on immigration. During his first week in office, President Trump signed a...

The Senate confirmed Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD) as the next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on Sunday during a weekend vote, as Republicans overcame efforts by Democrats to delay the process by using procedural hurdles. Noem did not receive unanimous consent from Senators to fast-track a vote on her nomination, facing a brief delay. Republicans decided to stay the weekend to get more of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet in place, with an emphasis on national security nominees. Noem was confirmed on Sunday, 59-34 , with six Democrats voting...

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is heading towards a vote on confirming South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary, placing her at the head of a sprawling agency that will be essential to both national security and President Donald Trump’s plans to squash illegal immigration. Republicans were determined to barrel through on Noem’s confirmation, threatening to keep the Senate working through the weekend to install Trump’s national security Cabinet officials.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) moved a step closer to leading the Department of Homeland Security as the Senate voted on Friday to advance her to a final confirmation vote. Senators voted 61-39 to break a filibuster on Noem’s nomination on Friday evening. Noem’s confirmation would put the final piece of President Trump’s core national security team in place. The chamber quickly approved Marco Rubio to lead the State Department after Trump’s inauguration on Monday, and eventually confirmed CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to their...