Research
Special Projects
Biden Administration International Affairs Personnel Tracker
Alejandro Mayorkas
Secretary of Homeland Security
Alejandro Mayorkas has a 30-year career as a law enforcement official and a lawyer in the private sector. He served as the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under the Obama Administration from 2013-2016, when he negotiated cybersecurity and homeland security agreements with foreign governments, and as the Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services from 2009 to 2013. He served as the youngest U.S. Attorney overseeing prosecutions of violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practice Act, cybercrimes, environmental crime, international money laundering, financial fraud etc. Before entering public service, Mayoraks worked as a lawyer and specialized in strategic counseling and crisis management. Mayorkas was confirmed by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs on February 2, 2021.
On China
Mayorkas will become America’s first Latino and immigrant to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security following the departure of Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Pete Gaynor who was appointed on January 12, 2021 after the resignation of Chad Wolf. Mayorkas will be overseeing the DHS in a time when the United States imposed a series of visa restrictions on Chinese officials and civilians for concerns over human rights, cybersecurity, technology, and public health issues.
During his tenure as Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, Mayorkas led the negotiation of the cybersecurity agreement between the United States and China in 2015. He also led a delegation in overseeing the agreement’s implementation and building the civilian and criminal investigative framework with the government of China. Mayorkas visited Beijing to discuss cybersecurity at the first U.S.-China Ministerial Dialogue on Cybercrime and Related Issues. During his visit to China in 2015, Mayorkas also discussed other issues including repatriation of Chinese nationals illegally present in the United States, counterterrorism, and U.S. and China Coast Guard cooperation with his Chinese counterparts. While Mayorkas’ past experience with China would help continuing negotiation with China over cybersecurity concerns, his past involvement related to China drew concerns as tensions between the two countries raised in recent years. In 2015, it was reported that a controversial visa program, overseen by Mayorkas was providing special treatment to Chinese investors. After his nomination was announced in 2020, the incident came under scrutiny again.
Notable Speeches, Activity & Testimony
- On June 24, 2021, Mayorkas confirmed at a Customs and Border Protection news conference that the CBP would be implementing a “withhold release order” on products containing silicon materials from Hoshine Silicon Industry Co. Ltd as well as its subsidiaries based on claims of forced labor; a claim that Beijing denies.
This order was issued because CBP has information reasonably indicating that Hoshine uses forced labor to produce its silicon-based products.
…We’re very mindful that we’ve seen a lot of illegal conduct in a particular region
The action was one of multiple taken that day by the U.S. government to jointly address forced labor in Xinjiang, China.
- On May 28, 2021, Mayorkas announced that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a Withhold Release Order against Dalian Ocean Fishing Co., Ltd. “based on information that reasonably indicates the use of forced labor in the entity’s fishing operations.” Commenting on the order, Mayorkas stated:
This Withhold Release Order will ensure we continue to protect the human rights of those working in the distant water fishing industry, while also upholding safeguarding our national and economic security.
- On April 12, 2021, Mayorkas attended the annual Five Country Ministerial (FCM) hosted by New Zealand and joined by the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. Discussion topics included but were not limited to improving cybersecurity, addressing threats in online environments, and countering foreign interference. Additionally, during the meeting, the FCM issued a standalone “Ministerial Statement Regarding the Threat of Ransomware”.
- Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, Testimony by Alejandro Mayorkas on the Nomination of the Honorable Alejandro N. Mayorkas to be Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, January 19, 2021
- Remarks by Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at the 6th Annual International Cybersecurity Conference, Tel Aviv, Israel, June 22, 2016
We must always also ensure that countries follow the well-established international norms. We are pleased that we were able to negotiate an agreement with the Republic of China to ensure that it abided by the international norms, and critically, the norm that it will not engage in cyber conduct to steal secrets for the commercial advantage of entities operating in its domain.
Media Commentary & Public Perceptions
- The Washington Post, The family of Alejandro Mayorkas, Biden’s pick to head DHS, fled the Nazis and then Cuba before arriving in the United States, January 18, 2021
- Roll Call, Alejandro Mayorkas could face his past in latest Senate hearing, January 15, 2021
- CNN, Mayorkas could bring stability to DHS after years of interim leadership, November 24, 2020
[Mayorkas’ appointment shows] an intent to bring experienced leadership to the third-largest federal department after years of instability. The announcement was immediately met with praise from immigrant advocates and Democratic lawmakers, as well as former and current officials who have expressed concern over the politicization of the department from some of its top leaders.
- Center for Immigration Studies, Alejandro Mayorkas: A Portrait of the Intended Nominee for DHS Secretary, November 30, 2020
Page Last Updated: June 24, 2021
*None of the personnel in this tracker are associated with the Institute for China-America Studies. All images used on this page are sourced from the official Biden-Harris transition website buildbackbetter.gov or the public domain.*
