United States President-elect Joe Biden's pick for Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, stated on Tuesday at his hearing before the Senate cybersecurity, fighting foreign and domestic terrorism, the coronavirus pandemic, and collaboration with international partners and organizations would be his priorities as head of the department.
Mayorkas said he would do "everything I can to make sure the tragic loss of lives, the assault on law enforcement, the disintegration of the building that stands as one of the three pillars of our democracy, the terror that you felt [...] will not happen again." He described the coronavirus pandemic as "one of the greatest challenges" for the department, which it would combat by making sure the vaccines and financial aid were distributed.
Mayorkas stressed the Department of Homeland Security was "fundamentally a department of partnership," and expressed his optimism about working with "you and other members of the Congress," as well as with the private sector on the matter of cybersecurity. Mayorkas also told Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson he would continue enforcing the "current immigration policies."
