Kristi Noem, removed as DHS secretary, praises San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie’s federal cooperation in Nashville speech

Noem spoke to law enforcement minutes after Trump announced her removal

Kristi Noem delivered a keynote address to law enforcement officials in Nashville on Thursday, March 5, 2026, shortly after President Donald Trump announced she was being removed as secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Noem did not address her job status during her remarks or during the event’s question-and-answer session.

The appearance took place at a Major Cities Conference gathering where Noem discussed coordination between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. In the Q&A, a San Francisco police union leader raised concerns about local departments bearing costs tied to federal priorities, prompting Noem to speak directly about San Francisco’s relationship with federal authorities.

Comments spotlight Lurie’s approach amid sanctuary-law constraints

Responding to a question from the San Francisco Police Officers Association, Noem said San Francisco faces “challenges” tied to California and local laws, but praised Mayor Daniel Lurie for being cooperative with federal authorities. She said she and Lurie speak often and described their conversations as productive.

Noem said San Francisco “has a mayor that works with us very well,” adding that Lurie “has been cooperative” and that they “talk quite often.”

Noem also described an operational division of labor during federal actions in San Francisco, saying the FBI typically leads while DHS plays a supporting role. She said the arrangement works well for the city and characterized San Francisco as showing “dramatic improvements” under current leadership.

Federal posture toward San Francisco remains politically sensitive

The remarks come against a backdrop in which San Francisco’s sanctuary framework limits local cooperation with immigration enforcement while allowing collaboration with federal agencies on certain public-safety priorities. In late October 2025, Lurie spoke with Trump by phone amid threats of increased federal immigration activity in San Francisco; after that call, the threatened surge did not proceed.

Lurie has publicly emphasized coordination with federal law enforcement on street-level public safety—particularly with agencies such as the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration—while also reiterating that city policy restricts participation in immigration enforcement.

Leadership transition: Mullin named as successor, Noem assigned new role

Trump said Noem will remain in the DHS position until March 31, 2026. He also announced that Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma is his choice to succeed her, with the change slated to take effect March 31.

Trump additionally said Noem will move into a new position as “Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas,” described as a Western Hemisphere security initiative.

Key verified points

• Noem praised Lurie’s cooperation with federal authorities during a Nashville law-enforcement conference on March 5, 2026.
• She did not address her removal as DHS secretary during the speech or Q&A.
• Trump announced a transition in which Mullin is set to become DHS secretary effective March 31, 2026, and Noem is slated for a special-envoy role tied to a new Western Hemisphere initiative.