ments ▁were ▁created ). ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 0 9 th ▁Congress , ▁legisl ation ▁was ▁introduced ▁to ▁place ▁the ▁secretary ▁of ▁hom eland ▁security ▁into ▁the ▁line ▁of ▁succession ▁after ▁the ▁att orney ▁general ▁but ▁that ▁bill ▁exp ired ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 0 9 th ▁Congress ▁and ▁was ▁not ▁re - int rodu ced . ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁secret aries ▁of ▁hom eland ▁security ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Department ▁of ▁Hom eland ▁Security , ▁there ▁existed ▁an ▁assistant ▁to ▁the ▁president ▁for ▁the ▁Office ▁of ▁Hom eland ▁Security , ▁which ▁was ▁created ▁following ▁the ▁September ▁ 1 1 ▁attacks ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁ ▁Part ies ▁ ▁( 2 ) ▁ ▁( 2 ) ▁ ▁( 2 ) ▁ ▁Status ▁▁ ▁James ▁Lo y ▁served ▁as ▁acting ▁secretary ▁in ▁his ▁capacity ▁as ▁Deput y ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Hom eland ▁Security . ▁▁ ▁Rand ▁Be ers ▁served ▁as ▁acting ▁secretary ▁in ▁his ▁capacity ▁as ▁confirmed ▁Under secret ary ▁of ▁Hom eland ▁Security ▁for ▁National ▁Prote ction ▁and ▁Program s ▁and ▁Act ing ▁Deput y ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Hom eland ▁Security ; ▁Be ers ▁was ▁the ▁highest ▁ranking ▁Senate - appro ved ▁president ial ▁app o inte e ▁at ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Hom eland ▁Security . ▁▁ ▁Ela ine ▁Duke ▁served ▁as ▁acting ▁secretary ▁in ▁her ▁capacity ▁as ▁Deput y ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Hom eland ▁Security . ▁▁ ▁Kevin ▁Mc A le en an ▁served ▁as ▁acting ▁secretary ▁in ▁his ▁capacity ▁as ▁Commission er