Jeh Johnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeh Johnson
|
|
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2014
|
|
| 4th United States Secretary of Homeland Security | |
| In office December 23, 2013 – January 20, 2017 |
|
| President | Barack Obama |
| Deputy | Alejandro Mayorkas |
| Preceded by | Janet Napolitano |
| Succeeded by | John F. Kelly |
| General Counsel of the Department of Defense | |
| In office February 10, 2009 – December 31, 2012 |
|
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | William J. Haynes II |
| Succeeded by | Stephen W. Preston |
| General Counsel of the Air Force | |
| In office October 15, 1998 – January 20, 2001 |
|
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Sheila C. Cheston |
| Succeeded by | Mary L. Walker |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jeh Charles Johnson
September 11, 1957 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Susan DiMarco
(m. 1994) |
| Parent | Jeh V. Johnson (father) |
| Relatives | Charles S. Johnson (grandfather) |
| Education | Morehouse College (BA) Columbia Law School (JD) |
Jeh Charles Johnson (born September 11, 1957) is an American lawyer and former government official. He served as the United States Secretary of Homeland Security from 2013 to 2017. This important role involves protecting the United States from threats.
Before becoming Secretary of Homeland Security, Johnson was the top lawyer for the United States Department of Defense from 2009 to 2012. He worked during the first years of Barack Obama's time as president. He also worked as a federal prosecutor, a lawyer for the United States Department of the Air Force, and a private attorney.
Johnson is currently a partner at a law firm called Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. He is also on the board of directors for MetLife and a trustee for Columbia University. On May 5, 2025, he was named co-chair of the Board of Trustees at Columbia University. He retired from his law firm on June 30, 2025.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Johnson was born in New York City on September 11, 1957. His mother, Norma, worked for an organization that helps families. His father, Jeh Vincent Johnson, was an architect and a teacher at Vassar College. Jeh's grandfather, Charles S. Johnson, was a sociologist and president of Fisk University. The name "Jeh" comes from a Liberian chief who helped his grandfather in 1930.
Johnson grew up in Wappingers Falls, New York. He finished high school at Roy C. Ketcham High School in 1975. He once said he was not a great student in high school. But in college, he decided he wanted to become a lawyer. This goal motivated him to work harder and improve his grades.
He earned his bachelor's degree from Morehouse College. He then got his law degree from Columbia Law School. He has also received many honorary degrees from different universities.
Early Career and Public Service
Working as a Lawyer
Johnson started his career as a lawyer at the firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison in 1984. In 1989, he became an assistant United States Attorney. In this role, he worked as a prosecutor, which means he brought legal cases against people accused of crimes. He prosecuted cases involving public officials and police.
He returned to Paul, Weiss in 1992 and became a partner in 1994. He was the first African-American partner at the firm.
Air Force Legal Advisor
In 1998, President Bill Clinton chose Johnson to be the top legal advisor for the United States Air Force. The U.S. Senate approved his appointment. As General Counsel, Johnson was the most senior legal official in the Air Force. He was also in charge of Wake Island, which the Air Force manages. During his time, the Air Force was involved in Operation Allied Force in 1999. He received an award for his excellent work.
After his service in the Clinton administration, Johnson went back to Paul, Weiss in 2001. There, he handled large business lawsuits.
Involvement in Politics
Johnson was active in the Democratic Party. He helped raise money and advised presidential campaigns. He advised John Kerry's campaign in 2004. He was also an early supporter of Barack Obama's presidential campaign, advising him on foreign policy.
Obama Administration Roles
Top Lawyer for Defense Department
On January 8, 2009, President-elect Barack Obama announced that Johnson would be the top lawyer for the United States Department of Defense. The Senate approved his nomination on February 9, 2009.
In this role, Johnson helped change military commissions, which are special courts for military cases. He also helped lead a group that studied the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. This policy affected whether openly gay people could serve in the military. Their study found that ending the policy would not harm military effectiveness.
Johnson gave speeches about national security. He talked about the importance of not relying too much on the military for things that civilian law enforcement should handle. He also discussed "targeted killings" and the idea that war should not be a permanent state. He believed there would be a point when the fight against certain groups would become more like a police effort than a war.
Johnson also wrote the legal opinion that allowed U.S. forces to go into Pakistan to find and kill Osama bin Laden.
Secretary of Homeland Security
.jpg)
President Barack Obama nominated Johnson to be the fourth U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security in October 2013. The United States Senate confirmed him on December 16, 2013, with a strong vote. He officially started on December 23, 2013.
One of his main goals was to fill important leadership positions in the department. He also worked to make the department operate more as a team. This helped them respond better to different challenges.
In 2014, many children and families from Central America arrived at the southern border of the United States. Secretary Johnson and his department worked with the United States Department of Health and Human Services to help these immigrants. They also asked Congress for more support to secure the border. The department set up family residential centers, which became a topic of discussion.
.jpg)
During 2014, Secretary Johnson also managed the Department of Homeland Security's response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa. His department created rules to check travelers who might have been exposed to Ebola. This helped keep the public safe without stopping travel to the U.S.
.jpg)
In November 2014, after Congress did not pass a new immigration law, Secretary Johnson and President Obama announced new actions. These actions aimed to address the situation of many undocumented people in the United States. Johnson played a key role in developing these plans.
Career After the Obama Administration
For the inauguration of Donald Trump in 2017, Johnson was chosen as the designated survivor. This means he would have become president if a disaster had happened during the event.
After leaving office in January 2017, Johnson returned to the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. He is also on the boards of directors for MetLife, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, and WBGO. He is also a trustee for Columbia University. He often appears on TV news shows to share his opinions. Johnson also hosts a radio show called All Things Soul, which plays classic R&B music.
In June 2018, he spoke out against the practice of separating families at the border. He also wrote to criticize calls to get rid of ICE. Johnson has asked political leaders to have more respectful discussions.
In December 2018, Johnson received the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Award. This award recognized his contributions to defending the nation and guiding it through difficult times. He has received many other awards for his public service. In May 2022, Johnson received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
In April 2020, Governor Phil Murphy asked Johnson to help plan how to reopen the economy after the COVID-19 crisis. In June 2020, he was appointed as a Special Advisor on Equal Justice in the courts for New York State. He wrote a report that suggested ways to improve fairness in the court system.
In August 2023, the president of the American Bar Association asked Johnson to lead a task force. This group will recommend ways to restore public trust in American democracy. In June 2023, he was asked to co-chair a task force to study the impact of a Supreme Court decision on affirmative action. In February 2023, Johnson and his family history were featured on PBS's Finding your Roots. In January 2024, Johnson received the gold medal, the highest honor from the New York State Bar Association.
On May 5, 2025, it was announced that Johnson was appointed co-chair of the Board of Trustees of Columbia University. He retired from his law firm on June 30, 2025.
Personal Life
On March 18, 1994, Johnson married Susan Maureen DiMarco, who is a dentist. They grew up across the street from each other in Wappingers Falls, New York. Dr. DiMarco was chosen to be the sponsor for the christening of the USS New Jersey submarine.
He lives in Montclair, New Jersey.
Johnson was in New York City during the September 11 attacks, which happened on his 44th birthday. He often talks about these attacks in his speeches.
See also
In Spanish: Jeh Johnson para niños
