mother had taught him: God Bless America. The GI lifted him into the tank, into America, into freedom.' Blinken concluded: 'That's what America represents to the world, however imperfectly.'
The president-elect also wished him a happy birthday. 'And one more thing — today is his birthday,' Biden said. 'Happy birthday. He's 21,' he joked. Mayorkas pledged to restore moral at the department, which has seen several chiefs move through its halls during the Trump administration and struggled with Trump's desire to keep illegal immigrants from crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. 'The Department of Homeland Security has a noble mission: to help keep us safe and to advance our proud history as a country of welcome,' he said. 'There are more than selflessly dedicate their talent and energy to this mission. Many risk their lives in doing so. I would be honored to return to the Department and support these dedicated public servants in fulfilling their responsibilities and 240,000 career employees who realizing our country's greatest hopes, all in
partnership with the communities we serve.' He could be one of the more difficult confirmations for the Biden team. When he was deputy secretary every Republican senator voted against his confirmation and he was only confirmed because Democrats controlled the chamber at that time. A former U.S. attorney, President Obama nominated him to be the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency that administers the legal immigration system. But, during his tenure, Mayorkas was repeatedly accused of political favoritism when granting 'Green Cards to wealthy foreign investors' - an issue that could come up in the confirmation process.
Secretary of Homeland Security
Mayorkas,a Cuban American, is a former deputy secretary for the department and will be the first Latino to lead it. 'While DHS affects everyone, given its critical role in immigration matters, I am proud that for the first time ever, the Department will be led by an immigrant, a Latino, who knows that we are a nation of laws and values,' Biden said.
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