Alejandro Mayorkas

Alejandro Mayorkas
Official portrait, 2021
7th United States Secretary of Homeland Security
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 2, 2021
PresidentJoe Biden
DeputyJohn Tien
Kristie Canegallo (acting)
Preceded byDavid Pekoske (acting)
6th United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security
In office
December 23, 2013 – October 28, 2016
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byJane Holl Lute
Succeeded byElaine Duke
Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
In office
August 12, 2009 – December 23, 2013
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byEmilio T. Gonzalez
Succeeded byLeón Rodríguez
United States Attorney for the Central District of California
In office
December 21, 1998 – April 20, 2001
PresidentBill Clinton
George W. Bush
Preceded byNora Margaret Manella
Succeeded byDebra Wong Yang
Personal details
Born (1959-11-24) November 24, 1959 (age 64)
Havana, Cuba
NationalityAmerican
Political partyDemocratic[1]
SpouseTanya Mayorkas
Children2
EducationUniversity of California, Berkeley (BA)
Loyola Marymount University (JD)
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionLawyer
Alejandro Mayorkas's voice
Mayorkas answers questions on the vetting of Afghan refugees
Recorded November 16, 2021

Alejandro Nicolas Mayorkas (born November 24, 1959) is an American attorney and government official who is the 7th United States Secretary of Homeland Security, serving since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Mayorkas previously served as director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services from 2009 to 2013, and the 6th Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security from 2013 to 2016.

Mayorkas was born in Havana, Cuba. Shortly after the Cuban Revolution, his family fled to Florida and later settled in California. He graduated from UC Berkeley in history with honors, subsequently earning his J.D. from Loyola Marymount University. After law school, Mayorkas worked as an Assistant United States Attorney and as the United States attorney for the Central District of California in Los Angeles from 1998 to 2001.[2] In 2009, Mayorkas was a member of the presidential transition team for Barack Obama, leading the team responsible for the U.S. Department of Justice's Criminal Division.[3] He was appointed by President Obama as the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).[4] As USCIS director, Mayorkas implemented the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) process in 60 days.[5] 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, made it possible for the agency to issue the statutory maximum number of visas to victims of crime.[6]

On November 23, 2020, Mayorkas was nominated by President-elect Joe Biden for the position of Secretary of Homeland Security. Mayorkas's nomination received the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police and several former secretaries.[7][8] He was confirmed by the Senate on a 56–43 vote on February 2, 2021, facing significant Republican opposition[9] over his stance on immigration, particularly his support for halting border wall construction and advocating for a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants. He was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris the same day.[10]

Since Mayorkas became Secretary of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has reported about 10 million nationwide encounters with removable noncitizens across the country. This includes a record 2.2 million encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal year 2022, the highest in history. Additionally, 1.5 million "gotaways"—people who evaded capture—were estimated to have entered the U.S. during this period.[11][12][13]

Mayorkas' tenure has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans, leading to his impeachment for dereliction of duty in a narrow and largely partisan 214–213 vote by the House of Representatives in 2024.[14] This came after an unsuccessful impeachment vote of Mayorkas one week prior.[15] Mayorkas is the first cabinet member to be impeached since William Belknap in 1876.[16] The Senate voted 51–49 to dismiss the impeachment charges on April 17, ending the impeachment without a trial.[17]

  1. ^ "Alejandro Mayorkas". The Hill. Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Rosenzweig1998 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Barber, C. Ryan (November 23, 2020). "Wilmer Partner Alejandro Mayorkas Picked for Homeland Security Secretary". National Law Journal. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hesson2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Preston, Julia (September 12, 2012). "Quick Start to Program Offering Immigrants a Reprieve". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 19, 2017. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  6. ^ Watanabe, Teresa (May 24, 2010). "Head of U.S. legal immigration system wins high marks from advocates for immigrants". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 312850120. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  7. ^ Yoes, Patrick (January 7, 2021). "Law Enforcement Cheers Biden's Homeland Chief". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on January 9, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  8. ^ Chertoff, Michael; Johnson, Jeh; Napolitano, Janet; Ridge, Tom (January 12, 2021). "Opinion: 4 former homeland security secretaries: We cannot afford one more day without a confirmed DHS leader". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 1, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  9. ^ Beitsch, Rebecca (February 2, 2021). "Senate confirms Biden's DHS pick after GOP delay". The Hill. Archived from the original on February 2, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  10. ^ Miroff, Nick; Sonmez, Felicia (February 2, 2021). "Harris swears in Mayorkas as homeland security secretary after Senate confirmation vote". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 9, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  11. ^ Byik, Andre. "No, 51M 'illegals' have not entered US under Biden, Harris | Fact check". USA TODAY. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  12. ^ "Trump vs. Biden on immigration: 12 charts comparing U.S. border security". Washington Post. February 11, 2024. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  13. ^ Cuffari, Joseph (May 3, 2023). "Intensifying Conditions at the Southwest Border Are Negatively Impacting CBP and ICE Employees' Health and Morale" (PDF). Office of the Inspector General -- U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
  14. ^ Amiri, Farnoush; Santana, Rebecca (July 26, 2023). "House Republicans grill Mayorkas on 'disastrous' border policy and renew calls to impeach him". AP News.
  15. ^ Grayer, Annie (February 6, 2024). "House vote to impeach Mayorkas fails in stunning defeat for Republican leaders". CNN Politics. Archived from the original on February 6, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  16. ^ "U.S. Senate: Impeachment Trial of Secretary of War William Belknap, 1876". Archived from the original on January 29, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  17. ^ Bolton, Alexander (April 17, 2024). "Senate dismisses Mayorkas impeachment without trial". The Hill. Retrieved April 17, 2024.