alejandro mayorga homeland security

 

President-Elect Joe Biden has picked Alejandro Mayorkas, a Cuban-American, to lead the Department of Homeland Security. [22] He received his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School in 1985. President-elect Joe Biden announced the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas, a Latino Jew who has emphasized the heightened threat facing American Jews, as his Homeland Security secretary on Monday. [16] His mother, Anita (Gabor),[18] was a Romanian Jew whose family escaped the Holocaust and fled to Cuba in the 1940s. My father and mother brought me to this country to escape communism and to provide me with the security, opportunity, and pride that American citizenship brings to each of us," Mayorkas said. [26][27], In September 2001, Mayorkas joined O'Melveny & Myers as a litigation partner. [2], In 2009, Mayorkas was appointed by President Obama as the director of U.S. [34][13], The DHS inspector general's investigation into Mayorkas's intervention as USCIS director to expedite reviews for applicants for foreign investor visas in three cases caused controversy and delayed his confirmation proceedings. Alejandro N. Mayorkas, a former deputy homeland security secretary, would be tasked with restoring faith in a department that carried out the Trump immigration agenda. Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. The DHS has not had a Senate-confirmed leader since the departure of Kirstjen Nielsen in April 2019. PRESIDENT-elect Joe Biden nominated Cuban lawyer Alejandro Mayorkas to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Secretary Mayorkas took the oath this afternoon after the Senate voted to confirm him. Mayorkas confirmation follows Avril Haines, who became the first woman to the lead nation's 18 intelligence agencies as the director of national intelligence, Lloyd Austin, the nation's first Black Defense secretary, Janet Yellen who is the first female to lead the Department of Treasury and Anthony Blinken as the secretary of State and Pete Buttigieg as Transportation secretary. "[31] The "fast-tracking" of approvals for individuals involved in the casino program was controversial because it was made over the objections of USCIS analysts "who were suspicious about the source of the funds". His ascension to the agency's top role comes less than four weeks after supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol and as the nation struggles to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2009–2013), and then as Deputy Secretary (2013–2016). He is the first Latino and first foreign-born person to run the department. [12], Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas,[13] nicknamed Ali,[14][15] was born in Havana, Cuba, on November 24, 1959. [5], In 2016, Mayorkas became a partner at the law firm of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, in their Washington, D.C. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas issued a statement on Tuesday outlining the Biden administration's plans to try to deal with the influx of migrants at the border with Mexico. Today, Alejandro Mayorkas was officially sworn in as the seventh Secretary of Homeland Security. [44], On November 23, 2020, President-elect Joe Biden announced his plan to nominate Mayorkas to be Secretary of Homeland Security. Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Sunday said that "the border is closed." Some of the members had been … [9] On February 2, 2021, Mayorkas was confirmed by the Senate on a 56–43 vote, with bipartisan support but significant Senate Republican opposition. The 61-year-old Cuban immigrant evoked his heritage during his opening remarks before the Senate Homeland Security Committee. [39] After the normalization of U.S.-Cuba relations, Mayorkas led the Obama administration's delegation to Cuba,[37] and negotiated with the Cuban government on port and cargo security and U.S.-Cuba travel. By Nicole Sganga, Camilo Montoya-Galvez January 19, 2021 / 7:03 AM / CBS News [1], From 1996 to 1998, Mayorkas served as Chief of the Office's General Crimes Section, overseeing the training and trial work of all new Assistant United States Attorneys in the Criminal Division. "I was raised to appreciate each day what this country has meant for our family, and the blessing it is to know it as our homeland," he added. [3] On May 20, 2009, the nomination was received by the Senate; on August 7, 2009, the nomination was confirmed by the Senate by voice vote. [1], In 1998, Mayorkas was recommended by Senator Dianne Feinstein and appointed by President Bill Clinton as the United States Attorney for the Central District of California, becoming the country's youngest United States Attorney. All Rights Reserved. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has fired almost all members of the Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) -- the latest sign … Central District of California in Los Angeles during the administration of President Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, where he oversaw the prosecution of high-profile criminal cases. [2] Mayorkas was appointed by President Obama as the director of U.S. Got a confidential news tip? office. The agency, which was created on the heels of the 9/11 attacks, oversees border security, immigration enforcement, cybersecurity and disaster relief. [5] He implemented the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) process in sixty days. Mayorkas's nomination received the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police[8] and former secretaries Tom Ridge, Michael Chertoff (who served under George W. Bush), Janet Napolitano and Jeh Johnson (who Mayorkas served under), who said Biden "could not have found a more qualified person". Alejandro N. Mayorkas Secretary of Homeland Security BEFORE Committee on Homeland Security U.S. House of Representatives ON “The Way Forward on Homeland Security… The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is expected to vote Jan. 26 on the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas as secretary of homeland security. © 2021 CNBC LLC. [11], Mayorkas and his wife Tanya have two daughters, Giselle and Amelia. [3] His parents arrived with him and his sister to the United States in 1960 as refugees, following the Cuban Revolution. Doug Ducey & Rep. Michael McCaul were on "This Week" Sunday, March 21. [33], Nominated by President Obama in June 2013, Mayorkas was confirmed as the Deputy Secretary on December 20, 2014, following a party-line Senate vote. Alejandro Mayorkas, a former top Obama administration official, will become the first Latino and immigrant to run the Department of Homeland Security after the US Senate voted to confirm his nomination on Tuesday. His mother […] [3] On May 20, 2009, the nomination was received by the Senate; on August 7, 2009, the nomination was confirmed by the Senate by voice vote. Mayorkas, who previously served as deputy secretary at DHS under former President Barack Obama, will also become the first foreign-born person to run the department. [48], Ultimately, Mayorkas was confirmed on a 56-43 vote. [50] He is a runner and plays tennis and squash. By Clare Foran and Ted Barrett, CNN. [5], For his work as director of USCIS, Mayorkas received awards from the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund. He led the transition team responsible for the U.S. Department of Justice's Criminal Division. [41] Mayorkas was involved in efforts to address DHS's presence on GAO's "high risk list" for management challenges;[40] Mayorkas, as well as Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, acknowledged low morale among DHS employees (a longstanding problem that pre-dated the Obama administration) and took steps aimed at boosting morale. [23] His prosecutions included the successful prosecution of Operation PolarCap, then the largest money laundering case in the nation; the conviction at trial of Heidi Fleiss on charges of federal conspiracy, tax fraud, and money laundering charges; the successful prosecutions of two largest telemarketing fraud operations that preyed on the elderly; and the successful prosecution of a health care fraud and insurance fraud conspiracy. Biden announced his cabinet picks on … Alejandro Mayorkas Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas was born in November 1959 in Havana, Cuba. Born in Havana, Cuba, his family fled shortly after the Cuban Revolution to Florida and later settled in California. [28] In 2008, The National Law Journal named Mayorkas one of the "50 Most Influential Minority Lawyers in America". This is a rush transcript and may be updated. [5] He prosecuted a wide array of federal crimes, developing a specialization in the prosecution of white-collar crime, including tax evasion and money laundering. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). President-elect Joe Biden has tapped Alejandro Mayorkas for his secretary of Homeland Security. [25], Mayorkas oversaw the prosecution of high-profile criminal cases, including the prosecution of the Mexican Mafia in death penalty proceedings, the prosecution of Buford O. Furrow, Jr. for the murder of a federal postal worker and the hate-motivated shooting of children in a community center, the prosecution of Litton Industries for the payment of bribes abroad, and the takedown of the violent 18th Street gang using RICO statutes. [30], In 2015, a Department of Homeland Security inspector general (DHS IG) report criticized Mayorkas' oversight of the EB-5 investor visa program, which offered lawful permanent resident status (green cards) to foreign investors who invested $500,000 into businesses that created jobs in the U.S.[31] The program's popularity greatly increased under Mayorkas's tenure. [31] The report concluded that "The juxtaposition of Mr. Mayorkas' communication with external stakeholders on specific matters outside the normal procedures, coupled with favorable action that deviated from the regulatory scheme designed to ensure fairness and evenhandedness in adjudicating benefits, created an appearance of favoritism and special access. [6] He led U.S. government efforts to rescue orphaned children following the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti and led the advancement of a crime victims unit that, for the first time, resulted in the ability of the agency to administer the statutory maximum number of visas to victims of crime. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis. [35] In House Homeland Security Committee testimony in May 2015, Mayorkas expressed regret that his intervention created an impression of favoritism, but said his involvement was motivated by a desire to ensure that the applications were handled in accordance with the law: "I did not let errors go unchecked, but instead helped ensure that those cases were decided correctly, nothing more and nothing less. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Gov. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). He received numerous awards from federal law enforcement agencies, including from FBI Director Louis Freeh for the successful prosecution of Operation PolarCap. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas fires almost every member of Homeland Security Advisory Council. We want to hear from you. During the Obama administration, he also served in the Department of Homeland Security, first as Director of U.S. [9], On January 19, 2021, Senator Josh Hawley moved to block the swift confirmation of Mayorkas as the Secretary of Homeland Security, stating that Mayorkas "has not adequately explained how he will enforce federal law and secure the southern border given [then-President-elect] Biden's promise to roll back major enforcement and security measures". During the Obama administration, he also served in the Department of Homeland Security, first as Director of U.S. Alejandro Mayorkas testifies at his Senate confirmation hearing to be secretary of Homeland Security, .Jan. He came to the U.S. as … Mayorkas is first Latino and first immigrant to head the department, which oversees immigration and domestic security. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2009–2013), and then as Deputy Secretary (2013–2016). Mayorkas is the 7th and current United States Secretary of Homeland Security since February 2, 2021 during the Joe Biden cabinet. (Joshua Roberts-Pool/Getty Images via JTA) Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to be director of Homeland Security, speaks as President-elect Biden announces his national security nominees and appointees at … "[36], As deputy secretary, Mayorkas's led DHS's response to the 2013–14 Ebola virus epidemic and 2015–16 Zika virus epidemic. Updated 2136 GMT (0536 HKT) February 2, … Alejandro Mayorkas, Biden's homeland security pick, faces senators at confirmation hearing. [1], After three years as a litigation associate in private practice, Mayorkas became an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California in 1989. Citizenship and Immigration Services, murder of a federal postal worker and the hate-motivated shooting of children in a community center, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Chinese cyberattacks against American companies, "Feinstein Recommends Mayorkas for U.S. Attorney in L.A.", "Wilmer Partner Alejandro Mayorkas Picked for Homeland Security Secretary", "Biden picks Cuban-American lawyer Mayorkas as U.S. homeland security chief", "PN488 – Alejandro N. Mayorkas – Department of Homeland Security", "Head of U.S. legal immigration system wins high marks from advocates for immigrants", "Quick Start to Program Offering Immigrants a Reprieve", "Law Enforcement Cheers Biden's Homeland Chief", "Opinion: 4 former homeland security secretaries: We cannot afford one more day without a confirmed DHS leader", "Senate confirms Biden's DHS pick after GOP delay", "Harris swears in Mayorkas as homeland security secretary after Senate confirmation vote", "Mayorkas confirmed as secretary of Homeland Security", "Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas – Department of Homeland Security, 113th Congress (2013-2014)", "Mayorkas could bring stability to DHS after years of interim leadership", "HIAS Congratulates Board Member Alejandro Mayorkas on DHS Nomination", "55 Years Later, US Official Prepares for Emotional Return to Cuba", "The family of Alejandro Mayorkas, Biden's pick to head DHS, fled the Nazis and then Cuba before arriving in the United States", "Meet the Cuban Immigrant Who Could Run Homeland Security", "Alejandro Mayorkas, the Cuban-Jewish attorney who may head Biden's DHS", "Biden picks Alejandro Mayorkas, a son of Jewish Cuban refugees, to lead the Department of Homeland Security", "10 Things To Know About The Man Who Could Become The First Caribbean Born U.S. DHS Secretary", "Ex-Homeland Security official Mayorkas returns under Biden", "A Convict in the Storm's Eye Had Plenty of Other Help", "The 50 Most Influential Minority Lawyers in America", "Letter from Joshua Hoyt, Executive Director", "Top Homeland Official Alejandro Mayorkas Accused of Political Favoritism", "Some USCIS Employees Say Alejandro Mayorkas Gave Special Treatment to Casino Project Backed by Foreigners", "Roll Call Vote: Question: On the Nomination (Confirmation Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, to be Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security", "Biden Nominates Cuban-Born Lawyer to Lead Homeland Security Dept", "Homeland Security Official Defends Handling of Visa Program", "First Latino tapped to head DHS signals shift from Trump's hard-line immigration policies", "The Cybersecurity 202: Biden's DHS pick adds cybersecurity chops to the incoming administration", "Biden's DHS pick was a 'quick study' of cybersecurity issues as the department's deputy", "Leading a Unity of Effort: A Conversation with Alejandro Mayorkas, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security", IBM Center for The Business of Government, "Homeland Security cybercrime center expands amid growing concern over computer hacking", "DHS morale sinks further despite new leadership at the top, survey shows", "Top-level turnover makes it harder for DHS to stay on top of evolving threats", "Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Joins WilmerHale", "Biden Will Nominate First Woman to Lead Intelligence, First Latino to Run Homeland Security", "Josh Hawley will delay swift confirmation of Biden's DHS pick", "McConnell Urges Caucus to Oppose Mayorkas for Biden DHS Secretary", "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 117th Congress - 1st Session", "Statement of Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas to the Judiciary Committee of the United States Senate", United States Department of Homeland Security, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, United States Secretaries of Homeland Security, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors, Administrator of the Small Business Administration, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Presidential line of succession in the United States of America, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alejandro_Mayorkas&oldid=1018378421, American people of Romanian-Jewish descent, Hispanic and Latino American members of the Cabinet of the United States, Jewish American members of the Cabinet of the United States, United States Attorneys for the Central District of California, United States Deputy Secretaries of Homeland Security, University of California, Berkeley alumni, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr partners, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 17 April 2021, at 19:42. [5] He implemented the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) process in sixty days. McConnell further stated that when working with Obama administration, Mayorkas turned the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services into "an unethical favor factory for Democratic Party royalty", referencing a report where in 2015, Mayorkas helped several foreign investors connected to Democrats get Green Cards. He would be … On his last day in office in January 2001, Clinton commuted Vignali's 15-year prison sentence, a controversial decision. He would be the first Latino to hold the post. "I'll be voting against his confirmation and urge our colleagues to do the same," McConnell said. [31] The DHS IG report, which was the culmination of an investigation beginning in 2013,[32] focused on allegations that politically connected businesses were given special treatment under the program, focusing specifically on the Sahara casino and hotel in Las Vegas, backed by then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and an electric car company led by Terry McAuliffe and involving Anthony Rodham. [11] Mayorkas is the first immigrant and first Latino to lead the department. [48] McConnell then said that Mayorkas has promoted "a culture of fear and disrespect". The Senate confirmed Alejandro Mayorkas to head the Homeland Security Department Tuesday with a bipartisan vote of 56-43, giving the agency its first permanent leadership in several years. Alejandro N. Mayorkas (born November 24, 1959) is a Cuban-American lawyer and politician. [4] As USCIS director, Mayorkas led United States citizenship through management efficiencies and fiscal responsibility, and safeguarding the integrity of the immigration system. [47], On February 2, 2021, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell moved to vote against Mayorkas' confirmation, saying that Mayorkas is an "ethically compromised partisan lawyer". After law school, Mayorkas worked as an Assistant United States Attorney and was appointed the United States attorney for the Biden picks California attorney Alejandro Mayorkas to lead the Homeland Security department. [7] On November 23, 2020, President-elect Joe Biden announced he would nominate Mayorkas as Secretary of Homeland Security in his Cabinet. 19, 2021. Mayorkas has the support the Fraternal Order of Police[8] and endorsements from former secretaries Tom Ridge and Michael Chertoff (who served under George W. Bush) and Janet Napolitano and Jeh Johnson (who served under Barack Obama), who said Biden "could not have found a more qualified person". The Senate will postpone a final vote to confirm President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, because of inclement weather. [1], Mayorkas was a member of the presidential transition team for Barack Obama before he assumed office in January 2009, where he led the transition team responsible for the U.S. Department of Justice's Criminal Division. [45][46] [1], Mayorkas served as the coordinator of the Southern California Telemarketing Fraud Task Force, overseeing the coordination of federal, state, and local law enforcement and regulatory agencies to most aggressively combat telemarketing fraud throughout the Central District of California. Mayorkas' confirmation was stalled last week when some Republicans argued that Biden's nominee was not properly vetted on pressing immigration issues. Mayorkas has previously served as deputy secretary at DHS under former President Barack Obama. The Senate confirmed Alejandro Mayorkas to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to be director of Homeland Security, speaks as President-elect Biden announces his national security nominees and appointees at his transition headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, November 24, 2020. supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol. Alejandro Mayorkas testifies during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on January 19, … As Secretary of Homeland Security, Mayorkas now leads the … [47] Hawley was criticized by the Biden transition team. [17], His father, Charles R. "Nicky" Mayorkas, was a Cuban Jew of Turkish Sephardic and Polish Ashkenazi background, who owned and operated a steel wool factory in Havana. [20], Mayorkas was also involved in the Department's counterterrorism and anti-cybercrime efforts, as well as its public-private partnerships,[40] and efforts to fight antisemitism. Mayorkas, 60, the deputy secretary of Homeland Security under President Barack Obama, was born in Cuba to a Cuban Jewish father and Romanian Jewish mother. Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas (born November 24, 1959) is an American lawyer and government official serving as the seventh United States Secretary of Homeland Security, in the Biden administration since February 2, 2021. [1], In late 2000, Mayorkas was one of many California officials who participated in efforts to obtain executive clemency for narcotics trafficker Carlos Vignali, Jr., the son of a wealthy Los Angeles businessman. [20] Under Mayorkas's tenure, DHS greatly expanded its Cyber Crimes Center in Fairfax, Virginia, to aid the department's efforts to combat various cybercrimes, ranging from child exploitation to computer hacking and intellectual property theft. [49], Mayorkas was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris on February 2, 2021, after his confirmation that day. Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas (born November 24, 1959) is an American lawyer and government official serving as the seventh United States Secretary of Homeland Security, in the Biden administration since February 2, 2021. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. Senate confirms Alejandro Mayorkas to lead Homeland Security and Pete Buttigieg as transportation secretary . WASHINGTON – The Senate confirmed Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday to lead the nation's Department of Homeland Security, making him the first Latino to hold the role. Mayorkas said that the US would not send back "vulnerable children" who have arrived at … [19][20][21] The Cuban Revolution marked the second time his mother would be forced to flee a country she considered home. "The principles of homeland and security have been tremendously important in shaping my life. [19], Mayorkas earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1981. [37] A landmark agreement reached in 2015 with the Chinese government reduced, for a brief period, Chinese cyberattacks against American companies[38] aimed at the theft of intellectual property. He graduated UC Berkeley in history with honors. Alejandro Mayorkas was confirmed as President Biden’s secretary of Homeland Security on Tuesday, filling a key Cabinet post as Washington grapples with the fallout of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and gears up for yet another political fight over immigration policy. 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