US President-elect Donald Trump has made two more key appointments ahead of his return to the White House in January.
Tom Homan, 62, will serve as Trump’s “border tsar”, having previously served as the returning president’s acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice).
New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, 40, has also been made ambassador to the United Nations, according to statements given to the New York Post.
Meanwhile, Trump’s Republican Party are edging closer to full control of the US Congress. They already have a majority in the Senate and need to win just a handful of seats to take the House of Representatives.
A party needs 218 seats to win a House majority. The Republicans have 215 compared to the rival Democrats’ 210, according to the BBC’s US partner, CBS News.
Control of the House gives a party the power to initiate spending legislation and launch impeachment proceedings against officials.
In the meantime, attention has switched to who he appoints to serve in his administration.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Homan would be “in charge of our Nation’s Borders (“The Border Czar”), including, but not limited to, the Southern Border, the Northern Border, all Maritime, and Aviation Security”.
He continued: “Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin. Congratulations to Tom. I have no doubt he will do a fantastic, and long awaited for, job.”
One of Trump’s major campaign pledges was to deport immigrants who are in the US illegally.
Trump’s pick of Stefanik for ambassador to the UN was made in a statement to the New York Post. She confirmed her acceptance of the role to the same newspaper, saying she was “truly honoured”.
“During my conversation with President Trump, I shared how deeply humbled I am to accept his nomination and that I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the United States Senate,” she said.
An official announcement has not yet been made but is expected soon.
