DHS Nominee Differs From Her Boss on Border Security

November 08, 2017

President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Homeland Security Department had her first confirmation hearing Wednesday.

Trump’s pick for Homeland Security secretary, Kirstjen Nielsen, had a very different response to her boss and potential colleague Attorney General Jeff Sessions at her Senate confirmation hearing. She was asked about the root causes of the Central American migration that overwhelmed Customs and Border Protection in 2014 and threatened to do so again in 2016.

"Enable the communty to be resilient in such a way that in and of itself provides the type of environment that citizens would want to stay. I also as you know feel very strongly that our drug demand is a factor in the push if you will. Our drug demand is like no others," Nielsen said.

That’s a very different message from the president or the attorney general who both have pointed to the violent MS-13 as one example for why border security needs more spending. 

Another opinion she doesn’t share with candidate Trump if not President Trump? The need for a continuous wall.