WASHINGTON _ President Donald Trump's pick for acting Homeland Security secretary after the rocky 16-month tenure of Kirstjen Nielsen ended with her resignation, is already drawing criticism amid calls for an "outsider" to lead the department that oversees immigration policy.
Trump named Kevin McAleenan, U.S. Customs and Border Protection commissioner, to serve as acting replacement for Nielsen just days after saying the administration must go in a "tougher direction" as illegal border crossings had increased.
"President Trump must move quickly to name a strong, respected outsider for this role," said RJ Hauman, government relations director at the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which seeks to reduce immigration. "We've seen what happens when he trusts immigration neophytes and Obama administration holdovers to implement his agenda."
