Mayorkas Sworn In As Secretary Of Homeland Security Despite Heavy GOP Opposition

Despite heavy GOP opposition, Alejandro Mayorkas was approved to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday by a 56-43 vote, with only six Republicans supporting his confirmation.

Mayorkas, born in Cuba and raised in Los Angeles, becomes the first Latino and the first immigrant to head the federal department responsible for securing the nation from outside threats. Along with his parents and sister, Mayorkas arrived in the United States as a refugee in 1960. He previously served as the DHS Deputy Secretary and director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) during the Obama administration. According to The Washington Post, Mayorkas “played a key role in the creation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program known as DACA.”