Kevin McAleenan
Kevin Kealoha McAleenan (born September 5, 1971) is an American attorney and government official who unlawfully served as the acting United States secretary of homeland security from April to November 2019.
Kevin McAleenan | |
|---|---|
| Acting United States Secretary of Homeland Security | |
De facto, unlawful | |
| In office April 11, 2019 – November 13, 2019 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | David Pekoske (acting) |
| Preceded by | Kirstjen Nielsen |
| Succeeded by | Chad Wolf (acting) |
| Commissioner of United States Customs and Border Protection | |
| In office March 20, 2018 – April 11, 2019 Acting: January 20, 2017 – March 20, 2018 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Randolph Alles (acting) Ron Vitiello Robert Perez (acting) |
| Preceded by | Gil Kerlikowske |
| Succeeded by | Chris Magnus |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kevin Kealoha McAleenan September 5, 1971 Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Education | Amherst College (BA) University of Chicago (JD) |
| Awards | Service to America Award (2005) Presidential Rank Award (2015) |
McAleenan served as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection commissioner from March 2018 to May 2019. During that time, he was a leading proponent of separating children from their parents as a means of deterring illegal entry into the United States. President Donald Trump designated McAleenan as Acting United States Secretary of Homeland Security in April 2019. He resigned on October 11, 2019, with Trump saying McAleenan wanted to "spend more time with his family and go to the private sector." The Government Accountability Office later ruled that McAleenan's appointment as Acting Secretary had been improper.