Senate confirms new DHS secretary

The Senate approved President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen, in a 62-37 vote Tuesday.

Prior to her confirmation, Nielsen worked as deputy to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. She previously served as Kelly’s chief of staff during his short tenure as Trump’s first secretary of homeland security from January to July. Nielsen will replace acting secretary Elaine Duke.

As DHS head, Nielsen will oversee many of the agencies responsible for administering the country’s immigration programs, including legal immigration under U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, border controls under U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and interior immigration enforcement under Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Nielsen previously worked as a homeland security official in the George W. Bush administration and is an expert in cybersecurity.

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