What should we expect from Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security?
John Kelly, a retired U.S. Marine Corps General, was recently nominated as Secretary of Homeland Security by President-elect Donald Trump. Kelly is a career military servicemember. He served in the Marines for over four decades, retiring in January of 2016.
During his time in the Marines, Kelly served in both the Persian Gulf War and the Iraq War. Subsequently, he served as the commander of the United States Southern Command, the arm of the Marines responsible for military operations in Latin America and the Caribbean. As the leader of the Southern Command, Kelly fought to disrupt illicit drug rings in South and Central America, and he oversaw military operations at Guantánamo Bay.
As the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kelly would be in charge of all immigration agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Although the Secretary cannot directly create immigration policy, he has the authority to enhance enforcement measures and alter the processes through which immigration applications are adjudicated. The President, on the other hand, is empowered to unilaterally affect immigration policy by executive order which is then implemented with the collaboration of the Secretary.