Trump Announces Resignation of U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security

The President of the United States has announced that Kirstjen Nielsen, the Secretary of Homeland Security, has resigned from her position. Donald Trump stated in a tweet on April 6 that Kevin McAleenan, the acting commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, will replace Ms. Nielsen as the acting Secretary of Homeland Security. Trump wrote, 'Kirstjen Nielsen, Secretary of Homeland Security, is resigning, and I want to thank her for her service. I am sure Kevin [McAleenan] will do a great job.' According to the Associated Press, citing two news sources, Nielsen went to the White House on April 6 to discuss with Trump following his recent trip to the U.S.-Mexico border. In recent days, Trump has intensified his criticism of the situation at the southern U.S. borders. On April 4, during a trip to the southern border, he warned illegal immigrants that the United States can no longer accept them and that its immigration system is full. News sources have indicated that the challenges of receiving assistance from other agencies to deal with the increasing number of Latin American families crossing the border into the U.S. have frustrated Kirstjen Nielsen. In her resignation letter, published by Axios, she stated, 'Despite the progress made in reforming our homeland security in a new era, I have decided that the time has come for me to resign.' Trump had previously warned that he would fire Kirstjen Nielsen, and she had also indicated at times that she might resign. The Department of Homeland Security was established in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and is responsible for matters related to security and border protection, customs, the Coast Guard, and emergency management.