Alejandro Mayorkas: A Profile of the New US Secretary of Homeland Security
Early Life and Career
Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas was born on November 24, 1959, in Havana, Cuba. His family fled the Nazis and then Cuba before arriving in the United States, where Mayorkas grew up and attended school. He earned a law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and began his legal career in the private sector.
Public Service
In 2009, Mayorkas joined the Obama administration as the Director of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In this role, he oversaw the implementation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which provides temporary relief from deportation for undocumented immigrants who arrived in the US as children. He also served as the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security from 2013 to 2016, where he was responsible for coordinating the department's operations during major crises, including the Ebola outbreak and the Paris terrorist attacks.
Biden Administration
In January 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Mayorkas to serve as the Secretary of Homeland Security. Mayorkas was confirmed by the Senate on February 2, 2021, and sworn into office the same day. As Secretary of Homeland Security, Mayorkas is responsible for leading the department's efforts to protect the nation from terrorism, natural disasters, and other threats. He is also working to reform the immigration system and address the root causes of migration in the Western Hemisphere.
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