Alejandro Mayorkas, current director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, was confirmed Friday as deputy homeland security secretary in a 54-41 vote, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Brian Bennett writes Mayorkas has led USCIS since 2009 and will report to incoming Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, who received his confirmation vote this week.
As head of USCIS, Mayorkas oversees an estimated $3 billion annual budget and a workforce comprised of nearly 18,000 employees, who are based in 250 offices.
Mayorkas is also a former federal prosecutor for the U.S. Central District of California and became the youngest U.S. Attorney when he was chosen for the role in 1998.
Prior to that, he served as an assistant U.S. Attorney in that district for 9 years and also served as chief of the district office’s general crime section from 1996 to 1998, when he led training and trial work of new criminal prosecutors.
