Senate

Romney: Vacancies at Homeland Security are ‘dangerous’ and ‘seriously troubling’

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) on Tuesday called vacancies at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) “dangerous” and “seriously troubling.”

Romney made the comments during a hearing of the Homeland Security Committee two days after President Trump announced the departure of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. 

“It is dangerous, given what’s happening at the border, dangerous given the broad responsibility that the Department of Homeland Security has for protecting our nation,” Romney said. “It is seriously troubling.” 

In the past four days, Trump has withdrawn his pick to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), announced Nielsen’s resignation and ousted the head of the Secret Service.{mosads}

Romney’s condemnation of the vacancies follows a day after Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said he was concerned about a “growing leadership void” at DHS amid talks of a shake-up of top staffers.

“I am concerned with a growing leadership void within the department tasked with addressing some of the most significant problems facing the nation,” Johnson said in a statement. 

White House adviser Stephen Miller is reportedly pushing for the removal of others at DHS, including Lee Cissna, the director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the department’s general counsel John Mitnick, CNN reported Monday

Trump tweeted Sunday that Nielsen would be leaving her position and that Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan would temporarily replace her until someone is chosen to permanently fill the role. 

Tags Department of Homeland Security Donald Trump Kirstjen Nielsen Mitt Romney Ron Johnson

Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

See all Hill.TV See all Video

Most Popular

Load more

Video

See all Video