Joe Biden on Monday elected Cuban-American Alejandro Mayorkas as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, the first official of Latino descent to hold the position.
Mayorkas, a 60-year-old lawyer born in Havana, headed the Citizenship and Immigration Services and was later Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security during the Barack Obama presidency. His role was key in the understanding agreement between the United States and Cuba starting in 2014, which was partially dismantled by Donald Trump in 2017.
“Alejandro Mayorkas, former DHS Under Secretary, who has been confirmed by the United States Senate three times throughout his career, will be the first Latino and immigrant nominated to serve as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security,” reported the transition team of Biden, elected president on November 3 by the Democratic party, in a statement.
