Trump picks DHS secretary

President-elect Donald Trump will appoint Gen. John Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general, to lead the Department of Homeland Security.

As head of DHS, Kelly would be responsible for overseeing many of the agencies responsible for administering the nation’s immigration programs, including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. It is hard to predict how Kelly would approach high-skilled immigration, but, like Trump, he has taken a hard line on immigration-related security along the U.S.-Mexico border.

“Despite the heroic efforts of our law enforcement colleagues, criminal organizations are constantly adapting their methods for trafficking across our borders,” Kelly told the Senate Armed Services Committee in 2015.

Trump’s appointment of Kelly requires Senate confirmation.

BAL Analysis: BAL continues to follow the Trump administration transition as well as immigration-related developments in the last six weeks of President Barack Obama’s administration. BAL will keep clients updated on important immigration developments throughout the transition and once the new administration takes office.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice group. For additional information, please contact BerryApplemanLeiden@bal.com.

Copyright © 2016 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.