United States Secretary of Homeland Security
The United States Secretary of Homeland Security is the head of the United States Department of Homeland Security, the federal department tasked with ensuring public safety in the United States. The secretary is a member of the Cabinet of the United States. The position was created by the Homeland Security Act following the attacks of September 11, 2001.
| United States Secretary of Homeland Security | |
|---|---|
Seal of the Department of Homeland Security | |
Flag of the secretary | |
| Department of Homeland Security | |
| Style | Mr. Secretary (informal) The Honorable (formal) |
| Member of | Cabinet Homeland Security Council National Security Council |
| Reports to | President |
| Seat | St. Elizabeths West Campus, Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Appointer | President with Senate advice and consent |
| Term length | No fixed term |
| Constituting instrument | 6 U.S.C. ยง 112 |
| Formation | January 24, 2003 |
| First holder | Tom Ridge |
| Succession | Eighteenth |
| Deputy | Deputy Secretary |
| Salary | Executive Schedule, Level I |
| Website | dhs.gov |
The new department consisted primarily of components transferred from other Cabinet departments because of their role in homeland security, such as the Coast Guard, the Federal Protective Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (which includes the United States Border Patrol), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (which includes Homeland Security Investigations), the United States Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It does not, however, include the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the U.S. Marshals Service. They continue to operate under U.S. Department of Justice.
The current secretary of homeland security is Alejandro Mayorkas, since February 2, 2021. He is the first Latino and immigrant to lead the Department of Homeland Security.