US Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, who oversaw Trump’s bitterly contested immigration policies during her tumultuous 16-month tenure, resigned on Sunday amid a surge in the number of migrants at the border with Mexico.
“I WOULD LIKE TO THANK HER FOR HER SERVICE”
Trump announced Sunday that Kirstjen Nielsen has resigned as secretary of homeland security, marking the exit of a second top immigration official in a matter of days as the White House continues to grapple with an influx of migrants on the southern border.
On Twitter, Trump said: “I would like to thank her for her service.” He said Kevin McAleenan, the current commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, would serve as acting secretary. “I have confidence that Kevin will do a great job!” Trump wrote.
Nielsen had a turbulent tenure that saw Trump regularly ramping up the pressure to execute his immigration promises. She took over the cabinet post in December 2017. Nielsen reportedly handed in her resignation to Trump during a meeting Sunday afternoon.