File photo: Acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kevin McAleenan reacts while protesters interrupt his remarks at the Migration Policy Institute annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference in Washington, US, October 7, 2019 ReutersMcAleenan became the fourth person to lead the agency under TrumpUS President Donald Trump said on Friday that acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan was stepping down and a new acting chief of the agency would be named next week. McAleenan became the fourth person to lead the agency under Trump in April after the Republican president asked for the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Before becoming acting secretary, McAleenan served as commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection, one of the agencies operating under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). “I will be announcing the new Acting Secretary next week. Democratic Representative Bennie Thompson, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security, said McAleenan’s departure is a troubling sign for the sprawling department, whose responsibilities include border security, counter-terrorism, cybersecurity and emergency management.

Source: Dhaka Tribune October 12, 2019 02:03 UTC