Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen is officially leaving her post, according to a series of tweets made by President Donald Trump on Sunday evening.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan will become Acting Secretary once Nielsen vacates the position.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen will be leaving her position, and I would like to thank her for her service....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 7, 2019
....I am pleased to announce that Kevin McAleenan, the current U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner, will become Acting Secretary for @DHSgov. I have confidence that Kevin will do a great job!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 7, 2019
According to CBS News, Nielsen had a 5 p.m. meeting with President Trump.
JUST IN: Two US officials tell @CBSNews DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen meeting with President Trump at 5pm, expected to resign.
— Paula Reid (@PaulaReidCBS) April 7, 2019
Nielsen was allegedly scheduled to talk to the president about immigration and border issues. She had no intention of resigning but personnel changes are being pushed for in the Trump administration, CNN reported.
From CNN:
The source notes Trump's frustration with the current asylum laws, and his desire for individuals who work for the administration to just stop central American asylum seekers from entering the United States, contrary to the law.
Separately, a source close to Nielsen and an administration official said she was blindsided by the White House pulling Ron Vitiello's nomination to be director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and has heard of other impending immigration-related personnel changes, so she asked for a meeting with Trump to get a sense of his thinking.
According to the Washington Examiner, the White House called Vitiello on Thursday night to let him know his nomination had been rescinded, meaning he wouldn't travel with Nielsen and Trump to the border on Friday.
It has been rumored that Vitiello's nomination was pulled because he was not endorsed by ICE union leader Chris Crane.
This is a breaking news story. As more information becomes available we will update this post.
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