DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to Keynote 2025 Homeland Security Summit
Potomac Officers Club has confirmed Secretary Kristi Noem as a keynote speaker for the 2025 Homeland Security Summit, its annual GovCon conference devoted to the Department of Homeland Security. The much-anticipated, all-day event will take place on Nov. 12 at the Hyatt Regency Reston in Virginia, and the announcement comes as the Trump administration places a high priority on DHS, particularly in matters of immigration.
In addition to Noem’s keynote, and sessions with other prominent DHS leaders, the summit will feature 10 expert panel discussions, five of which will focus on artificial intelligence and its growing role in homeland security. Make sure your company is represented at the event; register now!
Who Is Kristi Noem?
The Honorable Kristi Noem became the 8th U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security on Jan. 25, after serving as governor of South Dakota from 2019 to 2025 and as a U.S. representative from 2011 to 2019. She is the first woman to serve as South Dakota’s governor and has built a political profile rooted in agriculture, small business and her record in state and federal government.
In her first 200 days as DHS secretary, Noem has overseen a sweeping expansion of enforcement operations, maritime and air patrols, and surveillance technology along the border. DHS says these initiatives have “made history” by reducing southwest border encounters and accelerating removals of criminal noncitizens.
2025 Wash100 Award
In January, in anticipation of the impact she would make on the GovCon arena in the coming year, Noem was recognized with the 2025 Wash100 Award, Executive Mosaic’s more than decade-long tradition of celebrating the 100 most influential figures in the public and private sectors of the federal marketplace. Noem was inducted alongside notable industry-leading CEOs, visionary technologists and military generals.
Why Does Noem’s Role Matter for GovCon?
The Trump administration has placed DHS at the center of its national security strategy, tying border control and immigration enforcement directly to overall homeland defense. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed in July, commits more than $170 billion to DHS priorities, from detention capacity and ICE hiring incentives to new technology deployments.
For GovCon firms, that level of investment signals years of contracting opportunities across AI, biometrics, cybersecurity and enforcement technologies.
“Under President Trump, America’s borders are closed to lawbreakers,” Noem said in February when announcing a nationwide ad campaign to deter illegal immigration. “We will use every tool at our disposal to enforce the law.”
What Will Sec. Noem Address at the Summit?
As keynote at the Homeland Security Summit, Noem is expected to speak directly to how DHS intends to translate policy into operational and technological requirements. For GovCon contractors, her remarks could provide valuable insight into:
- How AI will be integrated into border security — From biometric screening and facial recognition at ports of entry to predictive analytics for enforcement operations.
- What contractors can expect from new DHS funding — Which sub-agencies will issue requests for proposals, how funds will be allocated and what procurement vehicles DHS will lean on.
- Where the guardrails will be for AI use — Civil liberties, bias mitigation, privacy protections and transparency in DHS’s adoption of AI tools.
- How enforcement operations will expand — Growth in ICE hiring, elimination of age caps, new detention infrastructure and expanded collaboration with state and local law enforcement.
- How DHS will manage non-immigration threats — Cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, climate disasters and misinformation, all areas where AI capabilities are increasingly essential.
Why Should Technology Contractors Attend?
The summit offers technology contractors a rare chance to hear firsthand how DHS leaders are shaping priorities at a time of unprecedented funding and emphasis on AI. Noem’s keynote is expected to outline not only the administration’s enforcement vision but also its expectations for industry partners.
“We will continue to go after the worst of the worst across the country, like President Trump has told us to do,” Noem said in a recent interview.
With billions in new funds directed toward AI-driven enforcement and security systems, contractors that understand DHS’s evolving roadmap will be better positioned to win contracts, meet compliance standards and deliver solutions at scale.
How Could Sec. Noem’s Vision Shape the Future of AI in Homeland Security?
Secretary Noem’s keynote at the 2025 Homeland Security Summit is set to underscore DHS’s transformation into a more AI-enabled agency. Her remarks will define the next stage of contracting opportunities, from cutting-edge surveillance systems to data integration platforms. For GovCon firms, this summit is not just an event — it is a window into how the federal government intends to operationalize AI at one of its most strategically important agencies.
You don’t want to miss this chance to network with companies like SAIC, LMI, Accenture, SkySafe, Exiger, Capgemini and many more, along with representatives from all DHS agencies: CBP, ICE, CISA and beyond. Sign up now!
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