Ken Cuccinelli
Kenneth Thomas Cuccinelli II (/ˈkuːtʃɪˈnɛli/ KOO-chi-NEL-ee; born July 30, 1968) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the senior official performing the duties of the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security from 2019 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he also served as the Principal Deputy and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and was Attorney General of Virginia from 2010 to 2014.
Ken Cuccinelli | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2019 | |
| Senior Official Performing the Duties of the United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security | |
De facto, unlawful | |
| In office November 13, 2019 – January 20, 2021 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | David Pekoske |
| Succeeded by | David Pekoske (acting) |
| Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services | |
De facto, unlawful | |
| In office June 10, 2019 – January 20, 2021 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | L. Francis Cissna |
| Succeeded by | Tracy Renaud (acting) |
| Principal Deputy Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services | |
| In office June 10, 2019 – January 20, 2021 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| 46th Attorney General of Virginia | |
| In office January 16, 2010 – January 11, 2014 | |
| Governor | Bob McDonnell |
| Preceded by | Bill Mims |
| Succeeded by | Mark Herring |
| Member of the Virginia Senate from the 37th district | |
| In office August 19, 2002 – January 12, 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Warren E. Barry |
| Succeeded by | David W. Marsden |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kenneth Thomas Cuccinelli II July 30, 1968 Edison, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Alice Monteiro Davis
(m. 1991) |
| Children | 7 |
| Education | University of Virginia (BS) George Mason University (MA, JD) |
| Signature | |
He previously served in the Virginia Senate, representing the 37th district in Fairfax County from 2002 until 2010, and as the 46th attorney general of Virginia from 2010 until 2014. Cuccinelli was the Republican nominee for Governor of Virginia in the 2013 Virginia gubernatorial election, losing to the Democratic nominee, Terry McAuliffe.
A self-described opponent of homosexuality, Cuccinelli in his position as Virginia Attorney General defended anti-sodomy laws and prohibitions on same-sex marriage. Cuccinelli rejects the scientific consensus on climate change, and in his position as Attorney General investigated climate scientists whom he accused of fraud. Characterized as an immigration hard-liner, Cuccinelli sought to prohibit undocumented immigrants from attending universities, repeal birthright citizenship, and force employees to speak English in the workplace.
His appointment as Acting USCIS Director by the Donald Trump administration was ruled unlawful by U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss in March 2020, who found it to be in violation of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998. Later that year, the Government Accountability Office ruled his appointment as the acting Deputy Secretary illegal, as well.