Kirstjen Nielsen out at DHS - Replaced by CBP Director Kevin McAleenan in Acting Capacity

On April 7, 2019, President Donald Trump announced that Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen will soon be leaving her position. He added that he will appoint the Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Kevin McAleenan, to serve as the acting Secretary of Homeland Security.

Nielsen had served as Secretary of Homeland Security since December 6, 2017. McAleenan was confirmed to his current post as the CBP Commissioner on March 21, 2018 [see blog].

Nielsen's resignation and McAleenan's promotion come on the heels of President Trump's decision to withdraw his nomination of Ronald Vitiello for head of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) [see blog].

President Trump has not yet indicated who he will nominate to be the next Secretary of DHS in a permanent capacity. We will update the website with more information once President Trump announces his nominees for both Secretary of DHS and Director of ICE.