Alejandro Mayorkas: The 7th Secretary of Homeland Security
Early Life and Career
Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas was born in Havana, Cuba, on November 24, 1959. His family fled to the United States in 1960, settling in California. Mayorkas earned a law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and began his career as a prosecutor in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. He later served as a federal prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of California.
Political Career
In 2009, Mayorkas was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In this role, he oversaw comprehensive immigration reform efforts and implemented policies to improve the efficiency of the immigration system. Mayorkas also served as Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security from 2013 to 2016, where he was responsible for coordinating the department's various agencies. In November 2020, Mayorkas was nominated by President-elect Joe Biden to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security. He was confirmed by the Senate on February 2, 2021, becoming the first Latino and first immigrant to lead the department.
Policies and Priorities
As Secretary of Homeland Security, Mayorkas has prioritized several key areas, including: * Combatting terrorism and protecting the homeland from foreign threats * Strengthening border security and managing immigration * Reforming the immigration system to make it more fair and humane * Addressing the root causes of migration from Central America
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