Kristi Noem faced the ultimate humiliation as she accepted an honorary degree on stage in South Dakota on Saturday. 

In a different part of the state, an Indian woman named Priya Saxena, whom efforts have been made to deport, received her doctorate in chemical and biological engineering along with a master’s degree at South Dakota Mines in Rapid City.

Saxena was introduced to the crowd as Dr. Priya Saxena, sparking cheers from the audience.

At the same time, Kristi Noem faced backlash from protesters who opposed her being awarded an honorary degree. This was due to her involvement as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, where she played a significant role in the Trump administration’s extensive deportation campaigns.

‘A doctorate in graft I could understand,’ one sign outside the Dakota State University campus hall read as Noem beamed inside.

Saxena has been under scrutiny from Noem and her department for several weeks. They argue that her student visa should be canceled because she was convicted in 2021 for a misdemeanor related to not moving over for flashing yellow lights.

Her student visa was set to expire in 2027, meaning she would have had to leave the country unless she secured a working visa relating to her field.

Saxena sued Noem over her efforts and filed for a restraining order, arguing she declared the misdemeanor charge before applying for her next visa and that it is ‘not a deportable offense.’

The lawsuit also noted that she ‘has not been involved in any political activity, has not attended any demonstrations, and has not made any statements about controversial public matters.’ 

A judge sided with Saxena earlier this month, barring the government from taking any action in relation to the termination of her visa until a May 13 hearing, allowing Saxina to receive the degree she had been working toward for five years.

Noem and her department were also ‘temporarily enjoined from interfering with Saxena’s freedom and from transferring Saxena out of the jurisdiction of the District of South Dakota during these proceedings.’

The fact that she received her doctorate and masters degrees at the same time Noem was being honored rubs salt in the wound for the department.

The battle over Saxena’s immigration status returns to court this week. 

Noem herself has a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from South Dakota State.

The student senate and general faculty at the college both voted against Noem receiving an honorary degree, arguing it would be a highly politicized decision that would send a message to both international students and marginalized communities.

But a spokesperson for the university told South Dakota Searchlight the decision to present Noem with an honorary degree and to invite her to speak at the ceremony was made while she was still the Governor of South Dakota.

The invitation was extended due to Noem’s longstanding support of the university’s cybersecurity programs while she was in that role, the spokesperson said. 

In her speech, Noem encouraged students to believe in themselves like they once believed in Santa Claus, and expressed that receiving an education is important.

But she warned ‘the world still revolves on relationships.’

‘People will be successful based on the people that they know and the people that they spend time with.’

She went on to say: ‘I’m going to encourage you that as you go out and tackle the next big thing in your life, to take your emergency brakes off. 

‘There’s little things in our lives, little insecurities, little things that we’re unsure of, maybe. Something that’s scary, like moving across the country, taking a new position. It’s your emergency brake that’s holding you back. You still will move forward, but it might be tougher if you don’t let it go.’

Dakota State President José-Marie Griffiths credited Noem as one of the instrumental figures in transforming the university into the highly respected institution it is today.

She said Noem ‘changed the trajectory of this institution,’ adding: ‘And by the way, there were protests for that decision, too.’

Protesters were not allowed inside the building but chanted loudly from outside as they lined the streets, shouting ‘no honor for Noem’ and branding her ‘cruel.’

One of the demonstrators said: ‘One thing that immediately came to my brain when I heard she was coming here was I was genuinely scared for the massive amounts of international students that we have on campus.

‘That’s something we take pride in.’

International students from Vietnam and India were among graduates being honored at the ceremony.