In This Biography
Alejandro Mayorkas Biography, Career, Education, Family, Age, and Net Worth.
Who Is Alejandro Mayorkas?
Alejandro Mayorkas is an American attorney and government official. Currently, he is serving as the seventh United States secretary of homeland security since February 2, 2021.
In addition, he also served in the Department of Homeland Security, during the Obama administration. First, he served as director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services from 2009 to 2013, and then as deputy secretary from 2013 to 2016.
Career
Assistant United States Attorney
Mayorkas became an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California in 1989. Prior to being in that position, he had served for three years as a litigation associate in private practice. In addition, he prosecuted a wide range of federal crimes. However, he later specialized in white-collar crime, such as tax evasion and money laundering.
Some of his prosecutions included the successful prosecution of Operation PolarCap, the nation’s largest money laundering case at the time. Furthermore, he played a huge role in Heidi Fleiss’s conviction at trial on federal conspiracy, tax fraud, and money laundering charges. He also led the successful prosecutions of two of the largest telemarketing fraud operations that preyed on the elderly; and the successful prosecution of a health care fraud case.
Mayorkas was the coordinator of the Southern California Telemarketing Fraud Task Force. At the Task Force, he was supervising the coordination of federal, state, and local police and agencies to most aggressive fraud in the whole of the District of California.
In 1996, Mayorkas became the Chief of the Office’s General Crimes Section he served in that position until 1998 He was supervising the training and trial work of all incoming Assistant United States Attorneys in the Criminal Division. Moreover, he was honored by many federal law enforcement agencies, including FBI Director Louis Freeh, for the successful prosecution of Operation PolarCap.
How Old Is Alejandro Mayorkas?
He was born on November 24, 1959, as of 2021 he is 61 years old.
Alejandro Mayorkas Family
Who are His Parents?
He was born in Havana, Cuba to Anita Gabor and Charles R. “Nicky” Mayorkas. His father was a Cuban native while his mother was Jewish. His parents flew to the United States as refugees in 1960.
Does He Have Siblings?
He has a sister, though much is not known about them.
Alejandro Mayorkas Education
He attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction in 1981. After that, he received his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School in 1985.
Alejandro Mayorkas Wife
He is happily married to Tanya Mayorkas, though they have kept their marriage life private.
Alejandro Mayorkas Kids
The couple has been blessed with two daughters, Giselle and Amelia.
United states attorney
After being an assistant Attorney for almost a decade. Mayorkas was appointed as the United States Attorney for the Central District of California by President Bill Clinton in 1998. Moreover, his appointment was supported by Senator Dianne Feinstein. He was the country’s youngest United States Attorney at the time. On December 21, 1998, he was appointed.
As Attorney General, he oversaw the prosecution of high-profile criminal cases. These cases included the death penalty prosecution of the Mexican Mafia, the prosecution of Buford O. Furrow, Jr. for the murder of a federal postal worker. Furthermore, he oversaw the hate-motivated shooting of children in a community center, the prosecution of Litton Industries for the payment of bribes abroad, and the takedown of the violent 18th Street Gang using RICO statutes.
Moreover, in the fall of 2000, he was one of many California officials who took part in a trial to obtain executive clemency for narcotics trafficker Carlos Vignali, Jr. Who was the son of the wealthiest Los Angeles businessman. In addition, during his last day in office in January 2001, Clinton commuted Vignali’s 15-year prison sentence, a controversial decision.
Private law practice
After leaving the attorney general office in January 2001, he joined O’Melveny & Myers as a litigation partner in September 2001. Moreover, Mayorkas was named one of the “50 Most Influential Minority Lawyers in America” by The National Law Journal in 2008. Following Barack Obama’s election in November 2008, Mayorkas was chosen by the president-elect to have a role in the presidential transition leading up to the inauguration.
Moreover, he led the transition team responsible for the US Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.
Serving as the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Mayorkas was appointed as the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by President Barack Obama in 2009. Following the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, he spearheaded attempts to rescue orphaned children. Moreover, in 2015, a report by the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general (DHS IG) questioned his management of the EB-5 investment visa program.
Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security
President Barack Obama appointed Mayorkas as Deputy Secretary in June 2013. After that, he was confirmed on December 20, 2014, this was after a party-line Senate vote.
The DHS inspector general’s inquiry into Mayorkas’ action as USCIS director to accelerate evaluations for applicants for foreign investment visas in three cases sparked controversy and delayed his confirmation. However, according to the inspector general’s findings, Mayorkas’ actions did not break the law, but they did give the impression of partiality.
Secretary of Homeland Security
President-elect Joe Biden announced his intention to appoint Mayorkas to be Secretary of Homeland Security on November 23, 2020. Moreover, the fraternal Order of Police has endorsed Mayorkas, as have previous secretaries Tom Ridge and Michael Chertoff (who served under George W. Bush) and Janet Napolitano and Jeh Johnson (who worked under Barack Obama), who stated Biden “could not have fucked worse.”
Senator Josh Hawley made a move to obstruct Mayorkas’s swift confirmation as Secretary of Homeland Security on January 19, 2021. According to Hawley, Mayorkas had not adequately explained how he will enforce federal law and secure the southern border given then-President-elect Biden’s promise to roll back major enforcement and security measures. However, the Biden transition team chastised Hawley.
Furthermore, Senator Mitch McConnell had also tried to block Mayorkas’ confirmation on February 2, 2021. According to him, Mayorkas is an “ethically compromised political lawyer.” In addition, McConnell went on to say that Mayorkas has fostered a “culture of fear and contempt.” Despite up and downs, he was eventually affirmed by a vote of 56–43.
Republican Senators Shelley Moore Capito, Rob Portman, Susan Collins, Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski, and Dan Sullivan were some of the senators who joined Democrats in supporting Mayorks’ confirmation.
Tenure
After his confirmation on February 2, 2021, Mayorkas was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris. At the start of his term, Mayorkas received criticism for rising border crossings between Mexico and the United States. Many Republicans labeled this a “crisis,” but Mayorkas disputed the designation. Moreover, the number of crossings had considerably decreased by May 2021.
Alejandro Mayorkas Height
He stands at an average height of 5ft 2in and weighs around 70kgs.
Alejandro Mayorkas Net Worth
His net worth is estimated to be around $ 5 million.
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