Current Acting Secretary Chad Wolf Nominated to Serve as Permanent Secretary of Homeland Security
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he will nominate Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Chad Wolf to permanently assume the role. Wolf has been acting secretary since November of 2019, and the department has been without a Senate-confirmed leader since Kirstjen Nielsen resigned in April of 2019.
The Government Accountability Office found in a recent report that after the resignation of Secretary Nielsen, an improper succession occurred, and Wolf was invalidly appointed to the role of acting secretary. The report stated that Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli was also ineligible for his position.. DHS has called this report baseless and insisted that both men can legally hold their positions under the Homeland Security Act.
In addition to questions about his eligibility, Wolf has faced criticism for his policy decisions while serving as acting secretary. He was criticized by Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) when questioned about COVID-19 preparedness and action plans. Furthermore, he has faced backlash over his decision to deploy federal forces in tactical gear to places like Portland without local and state consent.
While Wolf has faced some backlash, some law enforcement groups have praised his tenure thus far. After New York implemented the Driver’s License Access and Privacy Act, known by law enforcement as the Green Light Law, Acting Secretary Wolf announced New York residents will no longer be eligible to apply for or renew their enrollment in certain Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) like Global Entry. Under the Green Light Law, states like New York have refused to share their DMV records with DHS groups like TSA and CBP. Acting Secretary Wolf argued public safety officers would not be able to properly vet individuals applying for the TTP since the information exchange has been halted.
Larry Cosme, National President of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), supports Wolf’s nomination for DHS Secretary because, among other reasons, Wolf has given federal law enforcement a seat at the table when addressing issues that impact their ability to do their job, such as in opposing Green Light Laws.
Cosme, in a statement endorsing Wolf’s nomination, elucidated, "FLEOA has been pleased to work closely with Acting Secretary Wolf on several initiatives focused on maintaining and enhancing public safety, such as our unified opposition to the passage of ‘Green Light Laws’ in states across the country. Consistently, Acting Secretary Wolf has proven eager to receive stakeholder input and place the concerns of rank and file law enforcement officers first. We appreciate this commitment to the safety and wellbeing of our officers and communities.”
Regarding his nomination, Wolf said in a statement, “I am honored to be nominated by President Trump to lead the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security in safeguarding the American people… As the Homeland faces evolving threats from natural disasters, violent opportunists, malign cyber actors, and transnational criminal organizations, the mission of DHS is as critical as ever.”