Shortly after President Donald Trump was sworn into office on January 20, 2017, the United States Senate voted to confirm John F. Kelly as the fifth Secretary of Homeland Security by a vote of 88-11. Now-Secretary Kelly was sworn into office later on the same day. In his new capacity, Secretary Kelly will oversee the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Secretary Kelly will also be responsible for overseeing various other agencies that are less-related to immigration law.
The now-Secretary Kelly served in the United States Marine Corps from 1971-2016, reaching the rank of four-star General. Then-General Kelly’s 45 years of service culminated in a posting as the commander of the United States Southern Command.
Secretary Kelly’s resume is undeniably impressive. There are many reasons to believe that he will be a very effective Secretary of Homeland Security, especially with regard to border security. I have high hopes for his success in his new position, and look forward to posting a more detailed profile in the near future.
