Fronteras

The Department of Homeland Security is, to put it colloquially, a beast: stitched together in the wake of the 9/11 terrorism attacks, the Department has nearly a quarter million employees from 22 separate agencies. The Daily Beast says DHS reports to “no less than 100 different Congressional committees and subcommittees.” DHS is a tremendous managerial challenge, one that may soon be laid at the feet of a veteran Defense Department attorney, Jeh Johnson.

Johnson will be nominated by the Obama Administration to replace Janet Napolitano who left the post to run the University of California system.

Johnson is a FOB, or a "Friend of Barack," to borrow and hackney a phrase from the Clinton Administration (FOB, widely used to describe “Friends of Bill” who served the President in various roles in his administration). The New York lawyer was an early supporter of then-Senator Barack Obama’s quest for the presidency, stumping for him across the country and holding fundraisers. Johnson was the Defense Department’s general counsel during Obama’s first term in office and, according to Daniel Klaidman who broke the story for the Daily Beast,

"was a central player in many of the administration's most sensitive national security and counterterrorism policies, including the ramping up of the drone program, the revival of military commissions to try suspected terrorists, and the repeal of the Defense Department's ban on gays serving openly in the armed forces.

If confirmed by the Senate, Johnson would be the fourth person to head DHS since its creation, and would be the first African-American.

While he has broad experience in military and counter-terrorism policy, Johnson has little background in the area most of concern to the Fronteras Desk: immigration policy. Obama announced earlier this week that immigration reform is one of the top items on his agenda, yet his nomination of Johnson may imply that other issues may take priority.

Former DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano came into the job after decades dealing with immigration issues in her home state of Arizona. Johnson does not have that background, despite the fact that, if confirmed, he will oversee three key immigration services at DHS: Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Citizen and Immigration Services.

The nomination is already under attack by Republicans. The Washington Times quotes Texas Sen. John Cornyn:

"After this administration’s mismanagement of DHS, in particular its failure to secure the border, Texans expect a nominee with serious management and law enforcement experience. Rather than selecting someone who knows the unique dynamics of our Southern border, President Obama has tapped one of his former New York fundraisers. We need someone who knows how to secure the border, not dial for dollars."

And follows up with comments by Sen. Jeff Sessions, a Republican from Alabama:

"It would appear that the president plans to nominate a loyalist and fundraiser to this post. This is deeply concerning. This huge department must have a proven manager with strong relevant law enforcement experience, recognized independence and integrity, who can restore this department to its full capability.

Here’s where efforts to reform the immigration system stand right now: the Senate passed a bill earlier this year that would greatly boost border security while reforming key aspects of the immigration system. The House has not yet taken up this bill, and instead has pledged to work towards immigration reform with piecemeal legislation. Immigration reform of some sort is widely seen by both the Democratic and Republican parties as a vital to capturing the growing Latino vote.