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United States Secretary of Homeland Security
Flag of the United States Secretary of Homeland Security.svg
Flag of the secretary
Seal of the United States Department of Homeland Security.svg
Seal of the Department of Homeland Security
Noem Portrait 2.jpg
Incumbent
Kristi Noem
since January 25, 2025
Department of Homeland Security
Style Madam Secretary (informal)
The Honorable (formal)
Member of Cabinet
Homeland Security Council
National Security Council
Reports to President of the United States
Seat St. Elizabeths West Campus, Washington, D.C., U.S.
Appointer President of the United States
with Senate Advice and consent
Term length No fixed term
Constituting instrument 6 U.S.C. § 112
Formation January 24, 2003
(22 years ago) (2003-01-24)
First holder Tom Ridge
Succession Eighteenth
Deputy Deputy Secretary
Salary Executive Schedule, Level I

The United States Secretary of Homeland Security is a very important leader in the U.S. government. This person is in charge of the United States Department of Homeland Security. This department works to keep everyone in the United States safe.

The Secretary is also a member of the Cabinet of the United States. This is a group of top advisors to the President. The job of Secretary of Homeland Security was created after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

The new department brought together many different groups. These groups were already working to protect the country. They included the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Other groups were U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the United States Secret Service.

The current Secretary of Homeland Security is Kristi Noem. She started her job on January 25, 2025.

Who Has Been Secretary of Homeland Security?

Before the Department of Homeland Security was formed, there was a special assistant to the president. This person led the Office of Homeland Security. This office was also created after the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Here is a list of the people who have served as Secretary of Homeland Security. It also shows their political party and when they served.

Political Parties

      Republican (7)       Democratic (4)       Independent (5)

Job Status

      Denotes acting homeland security secretary

No. Portrait Name Senate vote Term of office State of residence President
Took office Left office Duration
1 Tom Ridge Ridge, TomTom Ridge
(Born Aug 26, 1945)		 94–0 January 24, 2003 February 1, 2005 2 years, 8 days  Pennsylvania Bush, George W.George W. Bush
(2001–2009)
– James Loy Loy, JamesJames Loy
(Born Aug 10, 1942)
Acting		 – February 1, 2005 February 15, 2005 14 days  Pennsylvania
2 Michael Chertoff Chertoff, MichaelMichael Chertoff
(Born Nov 28, 1953)		 98–0 February 15, 2005 January 21, 2009 3 years, 341 days  New Jersey
3 Janet Napolitano Napolitano, JanetJanet Napolitano
(Born Nov 29, 1957)		 Voice vote January 21, 2009 September 6, 2013 4 years, 228 days  Arizona Obama, BarackBarack Obama
(2009–2017)
– Rand Beers Beers, RandRand Beers
(Born Nov 30, 1942)
Acting		 – September 6, 2013 December 23, 2013 108 days  District of Columbia
4 Jeh Johnson Johnson, JehJeh Johnson
(Born Sept 11, 1957)		 78–16 December 23, 2013 January 20, 2017 3 years, 28 days  New Jersey
5 John F. Kelly Kelly, John F.John F. Kelly
(Born May 11, 1950)		 88–11 January 20, 2017 July 31, 2017 192 days  Massachusetts Trump, DonaldDonald Trump
(2017–2021)
– Elaine Duke Duke, ElaineElaine Duke
(Born June 26, 1958)
Acting		 – July 31, 2017 December 6, 2017 128 days  Ohio
6 Kirstjen Nielsen Nielsen, KirstjenKirstjen Nielsen
(Born May 14, 1972)		 62–37 December 6, 2017 April 10, 2019 1 year, 125 days  Florida
– Kevin McAleenan McAleenan, KevinKevin McAleenan
(Born Sept 5, 1971)
Acting; unlawful tenure		 – April 10, 2019 November 13, 2019 217 days  Hawaii
– Chad Wolf Wolf, ChadChad Wolf
(Born June 21, 1976)
Acting; unlawful tenure		 – November 13, 2019 January 11, 2021 1 year, 59 days  Virginia
– Pete Gaynor Gaynor, PetePete Gaynor
(Born 1968)
Acting		 – January 11, 2021 January 20, 2021 9 days  Rhode Island
– David Pekoske Pekoske, DavidDavid Pekoske
(Born May 5, 1955)
Acting		 – January 20, 2021 February 2, 2021 13 days  Connecticut Biden, JoeJoe Biden
(2021–2025)
7 Alejandro Mayorkas Mayorkas, AlejandroAlejandro Mayorkas
(Born Nov 24, 1959)		 56–43 February 2, 2021 January 20, 2025 3 years, 353 days  District of Columbia
– BenjamineHuffman.png Huffman, BenjamineBenjamine Huffman
Acting		 – January 20, 2025 January 25, 2025 5 days  Texas Trump, DonaldDonald Trump
(2025–present)
8 Noem Portrait 2.jpg Noem, KristiKristi Noem
(Born Nov 30, 1971)		 59–34 January 25, 2025 Incumbent 161 days  South Dakota
  • James Loy was an acting secretary. He also served as the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security.
  • Rand Beers was an acting secretary. He was the highest-ranking official approved by the Senate at the Department of Homeland Security.
  • Elaine Duke was an acting secretary. She also served as the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security.
  • Kevin McAleenan was an acting secretary. He was the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. His time in office was later found to be against the rules.
  • Chad Wolf was an acting secretary. He was the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Strategy, Policy, and Plans. His time in office was also found to be against the rules.
  • Peter Gaynor was an acting secretary. He was the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
  • David Pekoske was an acting secretary. He was the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration.
  • Benjamine Huffman was an acting secretary. He was the Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers.

Who Takes Over if the Secretary Can't?

There is a specific order of people who can take over if the Secretary of Homeland Security cannot do their job. This is called the "order of succession."

The Homeland Security Act of 2002 sets up this order. It even allows the Secretary to create a special list of who takes over.

As of November 8, 2019, the order of succession is:

  • Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security
  • Under Secretary for Management
  • Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection
  • Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans
  • Administrator and Assistant Secretary of the Transportation Security Administration
  • Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency

What Does the Secretary's Office Do?

The Office of the Secretary (OS) helps the Secretary of Homeland Security do their job. It makes sure the Department of Homeland Security runs smoothly. This office also helps other leaders in the department. It even works with private companies and government groups.

Parts of the Secretary's Office

The Office of the Secretary has many different parts. Most of the leaders of these parts report directly to the Secretary or the Deputy Secretary. However, the Military Advisor and Executive Secretary report to the DHS Chief of Staff. The current Chief of Staff is Jonathan Davidson.

Groups within the Office of the Secretary of Homeland Security
Group What They Do Leaders Smaller Teams
Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL)
  • Makes sure the department protects people's rights and freedoms.
  • Helps the department follow civil rights laws in all its work.
  • Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties: Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia
    • Deputy Officer for Programs & Compliance: Peter Mina
    • Deputy Officer for EEO and Diversity: Veronica Venture
  • Programs and Compliance Division
  • Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Division
  • Office for Accessible Systems and Technology
Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CISOMB)
  • Helps people and businesses with problems they have with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
  • Listens to public feedback about USCIS.
  • Suggests ways to improve the immigration system.
  • CIS Ombudsman: Nathan Stiefel (acting)
    • Deputy Ombudsman: Nathan Stiefel
  • Policy Division
  • Public Engagement Division
  • Casework Division
  • Operations Division
  • Strategy Division
Climate Change Action Group
  • Works to address climate change.
  • Studies how climate change affects DHS's work and people.
  • Helps DHS change its operations to deal with climate risks.
  • Suggests ways to reduce pollution and prepare for climate impacts.
  • Co-Chairs: Cass Sunstein & Robert P. Silvers
Office of the Executive Secretary (ESEC)
  • Helps the Secretary and Deputy Secretary with daily tasks.
  • Makes sure information and messages are sent out correctly and on time.
  • Executive Secretary: Kimberly O'Connor
Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO)
  • Helps people with complaints about immigration detention centers.
  • Checks how immigration detention facilities are run.
  • ID Ombudsman: David Gersten (acting)
    • ID Deputy Ombudsman: N/A
  • Case Management Division
  • Detention Oversight Division
  • Policy and Standards Division
  • External Relations Division
  • Operations and Resource Management Division
  • Program Integration Division
Family Reunification Task Force
  • Works to safely bring together families who were separated at the U.S.-Mexico border.
 Includes leaders from Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, and State departments.
Office of the General Counsel (OGC)
  • Gives legal advice to the DHS.
  • Makes sure homeland security rules are followed legally.
  • Protects the rights of Americans who interact with DHS.
  • Helps respond to requests from Congress.
  • Represents the department in courts.
  • General Counsel: Jonathan Meyer
    • Deputy General Counsel: Joseph B. Maher
  • Ethics & Compliance Law Division
  • General Law Division
  • Immigration Law Division
  • Intelligence Law Division
  • Legal Counsel Division
  • Operations and Enforcement Law Division
  • Regulatory Affairs Law Division
  • Technology Programs Law Division
Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA)
  • Connects DHS with members of Congress and their staff.
  • Works with the White House and other government groups.
  • Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs: Zephranie Buetow
    • Deputy Assistant Secretary (Senate): Bryn McDonough
    • Deputy Assistant Secretary (House of Representatives): Alexandra Carnes
  • Headquarters
  • Operational Component Coordination
  • Intelligence, Cyber, and Operations
  • Oversight and Investigations
  • Executive Secretary and Mission Support
Office of the Military Advisor
  • Gives advice to the Secretary on matters related to the U.S. Department of Defense.
  • Helps coordinate between DHS and the military.
  • Military Advisor to the Secretary: Rear Admiral Michael Platt
Office of Partnership and Engagement (OPE)
  • Connects the Department of Homeland Security with important groups across the country.
  • Makes sure DHS works together when reaching out to others.
  • Assistant Secretary for Partnership and Engagement: Brenda F. Abdelall
    • Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary: Rebecca Sternhell
  • Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
  • Private Sector Office
  • Office of Academic Engagement
  • Faith-Based Security Advisory Council
  • Committee Management Office
  • Homeland Security Advisory Council
  • Office of Social Impact and Campaigns
  • Director, Non-Governmental Organizations
Privacy Office
  • Protects people's privacy in all DHS activities.
  • Makes sure DHS is open and honest about its actions.
  • Chief Privacy Officer: Mason C. Clutter
  • Senior Policy Advisor and Executive Director, Strategy and Integration
  • Deputy Chief FOIA Officer
  • Deputy Chief Privacy Officer
  • Chief of Staff
Office of Public Affairs (OPA)
  • Manages how DHS shares information with the public.
  • Is the main source of public information during emergencies.
  • Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs: Daniel Watson
    • Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications: Luis Miranda
  • DHS Press Office
  • Incident and Strategic Communications
  • Multimedia
  • Speechwriting
  • Web Communications
  • Internal Communications
Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans (OSP&P)
  • Helps the Secretary with long-term planning and analysis.
  • Supports decision-making on homeland security issues.
  • Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans: Robert Silvers
    • Deputy Under Secretary: Kelli Ann Burriesci
  • Chief of Staff
  • Assistant Secretary for Border and Immigration Policy
  • Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention
  • Assistant Secretary for International Affairs
  • Assistant Secretary for Trade and Economic Security
  • Assistant Secretary for Cyber, Infrastructure, Risk, and Resilience
  • Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategic Integration and Policy Planning
Office for State and Local Law Enforcement (OSLLE)
  • Connects DHS with state, local, tribal, and campus law enforcement.
  • Supports these law enforcement groups.
  • Assistant Secretary for State and Local Law Enforcement: Heather Fong
    • Deputy Assistant Secretary: N/A

Images for kids

  • Tom Ridge (cropped)

    Tom Ridge was the first Secretary of Homeland Security.

  • James M. Loy

    James Loy served as an acting Secretary.

  • Michael Chertoff, official DHS photo portrait, 2007 (cropped)

    Michael Chertoff was the second Secretary.

  • Janet Napolitano official portrait (cropped)

    Janet Napolitano was the third Secretary.

  • Rand Beers official portrait (cropped)

    Rand Beers served as an acting Secretary.

  • Jeh Johnson official DHS portrait (cropped)

    Jeh Johnson was the fourth Secretary.

  • John Kelly official DHS portrait (cropped)

    John F. Kelly was the fifth Secretary.

  • Elaine Duke official photo (cropped)

    Elaine Duke served as an acting Secretary.

  • Kirstjen Nielsen official photo (cropped)

    Kirstjen Nielsen was the sixth Secretary.

  • Kevin McAleenan official photo (cropped)

    Kevin McAleenan served as an acting Secretary.

  • Chad Wolf official portrait 2017 (cropped)

    Chad Wolf served as an acting Secretary.

  • Peter Gaynor official photo (cropped)

    Pete Gaynor served as an acting Secretary.

  • David Pekoske official TSA portrait (cropped)

    David Pekoske served as an acting Secretary.

  • Secretary Mayorkas Official Photo (cropped)

    Alejandro Mayorkas was the seventh Secretary.

  • BenjamineHuffman

    Benjamine Huffman served as an acting Secretary.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Secretario de Seguridad Nacional de los Estados Unidos para niños

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