WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released the following statement after Alejandro Mayorkas, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), announced that he will be stepping down at the end of the month.
“Strong leadership is the key to success for any organization and DHS has been incredibly fortunate to have Alejandro Mayorkas and Jeh Johnson as the team at its helm. For the past seven years, Ali has worked tirelessly to change the Department of Homeland Security for the better. He is a dedicated and thoughtful public servant who has been committed to ensuring that DHS is more than the sum of its parts, and I sincerely thank him and his team for their diligence.
“Throughout his tenure, Ali has been focused on ways in which the department can improve its functions in order to more effectively fulfill its mission. From strengthening the department’s cybersecurity policies, to enhancing the federal government’s partnerships with state and local law enforcement and developing critical immigration programs that reduce fraud and promote economic growth, Ali has been determined to make the tough decisions necessary to move the department forward. Being a change agent in the federal government can often be difficult, but the significant improvement in morale that we saw among the department’s employees this year is a testament to the good work that Ali, along with Secretary Johnson, has done to put DHS on a better course for the future.
“I wish Ali and his family all the best as they start this new chapter in their lives, and I thank him for his service to the department and to our nation. While his leadership will be missed at DHS, I am confident that Ali will bring the same vigor to his future work. I look forward to working with Acting Deputy Secretary Russ Deyo and Secretary Johnson in the coming months to ensure we finish the important work that Ali started and end the year on a strong note.”