Kirstjen Nielsen

Kirstjen Michele Nielsen (born May 14, 1972)[1] is an American government official and national security expert. Nielsen was the 6th United States Secretary of Homeland Security from December 6, 2017 to April 10, 2019. Before, she served as Principal Deputy White House Chief of Staff to President Donald Trump from September 6, 2017 to December 5, 2017. She has informally performed the role of Deputy Chief of Staff since John F. Kelly became White House Chief of Staff on July 31, 2017.

Kirstjen Nielsen
6th United States Secretary of Homeland Security
In office
December 6, 2017 – April 10, 2019
PresidentDonald Trump
DeputyElaine Duke
Claire Grady (Acting)
Preceded byJohn F. Kelly
Succeeded byAlejandro Mayorkas
Kevin McAleenan (Acting; de facto)
White House Deputy Chief of Staff
In office
September 6, 2017 – December 6, 2017
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byKatie Walsh
Succeeded byVacant
Chief of Staff to the United States Secretary of Homeland Security
In office
January 20, 2017 – July 31, 2017
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byPaul Rosen
Succeeded byChad Wolf (Acting)
Personal details
Born
Kirstjen Michele Nielsen

(1972-05-14) May 14, 1972
Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
Political partyIndependent
EducationGeorgetown University (BS)
University of Virginia (JD)

Nielsen is the founder and former President of Sunesis Consulting.[2]

On October 11, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Nielsen to be the new United States Secretary of Homeland Security.[3][4] On December 5, 2017, the Senate confirmed her nomination, by a 62-37 vote.[5] She resigned on April 7, 2019.

Early life

Nielsen was born on May 14, 1972 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She was raised in Clearwater, Florida. She graduated from the Georgetown School of Foreign Service and earned a J.D. degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1999.[6] Nielsen's mother is an italian descent while her father is a Danish ancestry.[7]

Early career

Nielsen served during the President George W. Bush administration as special assistant to the president and act as the senior director for prevention, preparedness and response at the White House Homeland Security Council. She also ran the Transportation Security Administration's offices of legislative policy and government affairs, a section she started.

White House career

Nielsen previously served as John F. Kelly's Chief of Staff at the Department of Homeland Security. She has informally performed the role of Deputy Chief of Staff since Kelly became White House Chief of Staff on July 31, 2017.

United States Secretary of Homeland Security (2017 – 2019)

On October 11, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Nielsen to be the new United States Secretary of Homeland Security, replacing John F. Kelly.[3][4] On December 5, 2017, the Senate confirmed her nomination, by a 62-37 vote.[5]

Nielsen created the practice of separating parents and children accused of crossing over the U.S.–Mexico border illegally.[8][9] Nielsen resigned on April 7, 2019, and Kevin McAleenan, the then U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner, became Acting Secretary.[10]

In a piece summarizing Nielsen's tenure at DHS, Vox's Dara Lind wrote that Nielsen had been "arguably the most aggressive secretary in the department's short history".[11]

References
  1. "FamilySearch.org".
  2. Kutner, Max (11 October 2017). "Who is Kirstjen Nielsen, Trump's reported pick for Secretary of Homeland Security?". Newsweek.com. Newsweek. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  3. "Trump expected to nominate Nielsen as Homeland Security secretary: official". Reuters. 2017-10-11. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
  4. "Trump expected to name Kelly's White House deputy as DHS secretary". POLITICO. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
  5. Washington Post Staff (December 5, 2017). "Senate confirms Kirstjen Nielsen to head Department of Homeland Security, installing a close ally of John F. Kelly". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  6. "Kirstjen Nielsen '99 Tapped for Top Post at Homeland Security". October 11, 2017.
  7. "'That's Not the Kirstjen We Know'". Politico.
  8. "Trump Defiant as Crisis Grows Over Family Separation at the Border". The Washington Post. June 18, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  9. "Was the 'Law to Separate Families' past in 1997 or 'by Democrats?'". Snopes Fact Check. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  10. "DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen resigns after clashes with Trump on immigration". CBS News. April 7, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  11. Lind, Dara (2019-04-07). "Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen's resignation, explained". Vox. Retrieved 2019-04-14.

Other websites

Media related to Kirstjen Nielsen at Wikimedia Commons

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