United States Secretary of Homeland Security

List of secretaries of homeland security

Prior to the establishment of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, there existed an assistant to the president for the Office of Homeland Security, which was created following the September 11 attacks in 2001.

;Parties (7) (4) (5)

;Status

a. James Loy served as acting secretary in his capacity as Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security.

b. Rand Beers served as acting secretary in his capacity as confirmed Undersecretary of Homeland Security for National Protection and Programs and Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security; Beers was the highest ranking Senate-approved presidential appointee at the Department of Homeland Security.

c. Elaine Duke served as acting secretary in her capacity as Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security.

d. Kevin McAleenan served as acting secretary in his capacity as Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection. His tenure was ruled unlawful.

e. Chad Wolf served as acting secretary in his capacity as Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Strategy, Policy, and Plans. His tenure was ruled unlawful.

f. Peter Gaynor served as acting secretary in his capacity as Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator.

g. David Pekoske served as acting secretary in his capacity as Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration

h. Benjamine Huffman served as acting secretary in his capacity as Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers.

Order of succession

While appointment of acting officials is generally governed by the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 (FVRA), the Homeland Security Act of 2002 creates exceptions to FVRA, mandating that the under secretary of homeland security for management is third in the line of succession for Secretary of Homeland Security, and establishes an alternate process by which the secretary can directly establish a line of succession outside the provisions of the FVRA.

As of November 8, 2019, the order of succession is as follows. However, the legality of this update was challenged.

1. Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security
2. Under Secretary for Management
3. Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection
4. Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans
5. Administrator and Assistant Secretary of the Transportation Security Administration
6. Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency

Formerly, an April 10, 2019 update to the DHS Orders of Succession, made pursuant to the Homeland Security Act of 2002, provided a different order in the case of unavailability to act during a disaster or catastrophic emergency:

1. Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security
2. Under Secretary for Management
3. Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
4. Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
5. Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
6. Under Secretary for Science and Technology
7. Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis
8. Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration
9. Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
10. Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
11. Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans
12. General Counsel
13. Deputy Under Secretary for Management
14. Deputy Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
15. Deputy Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration
16. Deputy Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
17. Deputy Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
18. Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers

As a result of Executive Order 13753 in 2016, the order of succession for the secretary of homeland security was as follows:

1. Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security
2. Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Management
3. Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
4. Under Secretary of Homeland Security for National Protection and Programs
5. Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology
6. Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis
7. Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
8. Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration
9. Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
10. Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
11. Assistant Secretary for Policy
12. General Counsel of the Department of Homeland Security
13. Deputy Under Secretary for Management
14. Deputy Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
15. Deputy Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration
16. Deputy Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
17. Deputy Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
18. Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

Administration-cited potential nominees

Bernard Kerik

George W. Bush nominated Bernard Kerik for the position in 2004. However a week later, Kerik withdrew his nomination, explaining that he had employed an illegal immigrant as a nanny.

Raymond Kelly

By July 2013, Raymond Kelly had served as Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) for nearly 12 straight years. Within days of Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano's announcement that she was resigning, Kelly was soon cited as an obvious potential successor by New York senator Charles Schumer and others.

-- During a July 16, 2013, interview, President Obama referred generally to the "bunch of strong candidates" for nomination to head the Department of Homeland Security, but singled out Kelly as "one of the best there is" and "very well qualified for the job".

Later in July 2013, the online internet news website/magazine Huffington Post detailed "a growing campaign to quash the potential nomination of New York City Police commissioner Raymond Kelly as the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security" amid claims of "divisive, harmful, and ineffective policing that promotes stereotypes and profiling". Days after that article, Kelly penned a statistics-heavy Wall Street Journal opinion article defending the NYPD's programs, stating "the average number of stops we conduct is less than one per officer per week" and that this and other practices have led to "7,383 lives saved—and... they are largely the lives of young men of color."

Kelly was also featured because of his NYPD retirement and unusually long tenure there in a long segment on the CBS News program Sunday Morning in December 2013, especially raising the question of the controversial "stop and frisk" policy in New York City and the long decline and drop of various types of crimes committed.

Office of the Secretary of Homeland Security

Purpose

The Office of the Secretary (OS) oversees the execution of the duties of the Department of Homeland Security. Certain elements also aid the Secretary of Homeland Security and senior officials of the Department of Homeland Security, as well as private sector and government partners in their duties.

Composition

The Office of the Secretary contains several offices and other elements of the DHS. Most of the heads of these elements report directly to the Secretary or Deputy Secretary, but the Military Advisor and Executive Secretary report to the DHS Chief of Staff, a position that is currently vacant since January 2025.

While DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was participating in an immigration raid on April 8, 2025, she was accompanied by former Trump campaign manager and senior adviser Corey Lewandowski, who introduced himself to the federal agents as “chief of staff.” DHS later clarified that he is an adviser to DHS and a special government employee.

References

References

1. "3 U.S. Code § 19 – Vacancy in offices of both President and Vice President; officers eligible to act".
2. Yglesias, Matthew. (2019-04-08). "Trump's possibly illegal designation of a new acting homeland security secretary, explained".
3. (2019-11-11). "Inside Trump's Gambit To Install Another Acting DHS Secretary".
4. Bublé, Courtney. (2019-11-15). "Top Democrats Call for Emergency Review of DHS Appointments".
5. Misra, Tanvi. (2019-11-15). "Legality of Wolf, Cuccinelli appointments to DHS questioned". Roll Call.
6. (2019-11-15). "Letter from House Committee on Homeland Security to U.S. Comptroller General Gene Dodaro".
7. (2016-12-09). "Executive Order – Amending the Order of Succession in the Department of Homeland Security".
8. (December 16, 2004). "Mystery Woman in Kerik Case: Nanny".
9. [https://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/janet-napolitano-replacements-94094.html?ml=po_r "Names already popping as possible Janet Napolitano replacements"], by Kevin Robillard and Scott Wong, ''Politico'', July 12, 2013, retrieved July 13, 2013.
10. [https://www.politico.com/blogs/politico44/2013/07/obama-would-consider-ray-kelly-to-replace-janet-napolitano-168507.html "Obama would consider Ray Kelly to replace Janet Napolitano"], by Jennifer Epstein, ''Politico'', July 16, 2013, retrieved July 17, 2013.
11. [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/01/muslims-oppose-raymond-kelly-homeland-security_n_3691876.html "Muslims Oppose Raymond Kelly Bid For Homeland Security Secretary"], by Omar Sacirbey, ''Huffington Post'', August 1, 2013, retrieved August 4, 2013.
12. [https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324448104578616333588719320 "Ray Kelly: The NYPD: Guilty of Saving 7,383 Lives"], by Ray Kelly, ''Opinion: The Wall Street Journal'', July 22, 2013, retrieved August 4, 2013.
13. "Office of the Secretary {{!}} Homeland Security".
14. (April 8, 2025). "Kristi Noem dodges kicks from migrant suspect as she leads ICE deportation raids in Phoenix".
15. "Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties {{!}} Homeland Security".
16. "Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman {{!}} Homeland Security".
17. "Climate Change Action Group {{!}} Homeland Security".
18. greenecodemocratcom. (2023-08-30). "DHS Climate Change Action Group (CCAG)".
19. "Office of the Executive Secretary {{!}} Homeland Security".
20. "Leadership {{!}} Homeland Security".
21. "Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman {{!}} Homeland Security".
22. "Family Reunification Task Force {{!}} Homeland Security".
23. "Office of the General Counsel {{!}} Homeland Security".
24. "Joint Requirements Council {{!}} Homeland Security".
25. "Office of Legislative Affairs {{!}} Homeland Security".
26. "Office of the Military Advisor {{!}} Homeland Security".
27. "Partnership and Engagement {{!}} Homeland Security".
28. "Privacy Office {{!}} Homeland Security".
29. "Office of Public Affairs {{!}} Homeland Security".
30. "Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans {{!}} Homeland Security".
31. "The Office for State and Local Law Enforcement {{!}} Homeland Security".