Alejandro Mayorkas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alejandro Mayorkas
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Official portrait, 2021
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| 7th United States Secretary of Homeland Security | |
| In office February 2, 2021 – January 20, 2025 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Deputy | John Tien Kristie Canegallo (acting) |
| Preceded by | David Pekoske (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Kristi Noem |
| 6th United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security | |
| In office December 23, 2013 – October 28, 2016 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Jane Holl Lute |
| Succeeded by | Elaine Duke |
| Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services | |
| In office August 12, 2009 – December 23, 2013 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Emilio T. Gonzalez |
| Succeeded by | León Rodríguez |
| United States Attorney for the Central District of California | |
| In office December 21, 1998 – April 20, 2001 |
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| President | Bill Clinton George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Nora Margaret Manella |
| Succeeded by | Debra Wong Yang |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alejandro Nicolas Mayorkas
November 24, 1959 Havana, Cuba |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Tanya Mayorkas |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley (BA) Loyola Marymount University (JD) |
Alejandro Nicolas Mayorkas (born November 24, 1959) is an American lawyer and government official. He served as the 7th Secretary of Homeland Security from 2021 to 2025. This job involves protecting the United States from threats and managing its borders.
Mayorkas is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming Secretary, he held other important roles. He was the director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) from 2009 to 2013. He also served as the 6th Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security from 2013 to 2016.
On February 13, 2024, the United States House of Representatives voted to impeach Mayorkas. This means the House formally accused him of wrongdoing. He is only the second cabinet member in U.S. history to be impeached. The first was William W. Belknap, the Secretary of War, in 1876.
Early Life and Education
Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas was born in Havana, Cuba, on November 24, 1959. When he was one year old, his parents left Cuba with him and his sister. They were refugees, meaning they fled their home country because of danger. This happened after the Cuban Revolution in 1960.
His family first lived in Miami, Florida. Later, they moved to Los Angeles, California, where he grew up. Mayorkas attended Beverly Hills High School in Beverly Hills.
His father, Charles R. "Nicky" Mayorkas, was born in Cuba. His family had Jewish roots from different parts of the world, including the former Ottoman Empire (like Turkey and Greece) and Poland. His mother, Anita (Gabor), was a Romanian Jew. Her family escaped the Holocaust and went to Cuba in the 1940s. They later moved to the United States after the Cuban Revolution.
Mayorkas went to the University of California, Berkeley. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree there in 1981. He then studied law at Loyola Law School, getting his law degree (Juris Doctor) in 1985.
Career in Government
Mayorkas began his career as a lawyer for the government. He worked as an Assistant United States Attorney. Later, he became the United States Attorney for the Central District of California. This is a top legal job in a specific region. He oversaw important criminal cases during the presidencies of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
In 2009, Mayorkas joined the team that helped Barack Obama prepare to become president. He led the group focused on the U.S. Department of Justice's Criminal Division.
President Obama then appointed him to lead United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This agency handles immigration and citizenship matters. The Senate approved his nomination in August 2009. As director, Mayorkas worked to make the citizenship process better and more efficient. He also helped protect the fairness of the immigration system.
One of his big achievements was setting up the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program very quickly. He also helped rescue orphaned children after the terrible 2010 Haiti earthquake. Mayorkas also created a special unit to help victims of crime get special visas (called U visas).
In 2016, Mayorkas worked as a partner at a law firm. Then, in November 2020, President-elect Joe Biden announced he would nominate Mayorkas for Secretary of Homeland Security. Many former secretaries and police groups supported his nomination. On February 2, 2021, the Senate confirmed him for the role. He was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris. Mayorkas is the first refugee and the first person born in Latin America to lead this important department.
On February 13, 2024, the United States House of Representatives voted to impeach Mayorkas. This was a very close vote.
Personal Life
Alejandro Mayorkas is married to Tanya Mayorkas. They have two daughters. In his free time, he enjoys running. He also plays tennis and squash.
Images for kids
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Mayorkas arrives at the DHS headquarters following his swearing-in as secretary, 2021
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DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Joins US President Joe Biden at FEMA Headquarters, 2023
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See Also
In Spanish: Alejandro Mayorkas para niños
