President Biden on Monday released a slate of nominees for key posts in the Department of Homeland Security as his administration continues to struggle with the dramatic influx of illegal immigrants crossing into the US.
He tapped Chris Magnus, the police chief of Tucson, Ariz., to head up Customs and Border Protection, highlighting his service in the Lansing, Mich., Police Department and leading the police departments in Fargo, N.D., and Richmond, Calif.
“In each of these cities Magnus developed a reputation as a progressive police leader who focused on relationship-building between the police and community, implementing evidence-based best practices, promoting reform, and insisting on police accountability,” the White House said in a release announcing the nominations.
The administration said Magnus’s experience in Tucson, a diverse city close to the US border, will give him insight into addressing immigration issues.
Biden also nominated Ur Jaddou as the director of Citizenship and Immigration Services, citing her two decades of experience in immigration law, policy and administration.
Jaddou is an adjunct professor of law at American University, Washington College of Law and counsel at Potomac Law Group.
Other nominees include John Tien as deputy secretary at DHS, Jen Easterly as director of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Jonathan Meyer as general counsel for the DHS, and Robert Silvers as under secretary for Strategy, Policy and Plans for DHS.
In a statement, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas hailed the nominations.
“I am excited that President Biden has nominated an extraordinary group of individuals for critical leadership positions in the Department of Homeland Security,” he said. “They are highly-regarded and accomplished professionals with deep experience in their respective fields. Together they will help advance the Department of Homeland Security’s mission to ensure the safety and security of the American people.”