Kirstjen Nielsen Resigns

“Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen resigned on Sunday amid President Donald Trump’s growing frustration and bitterness over the number of Central American families crossing the southern border. Trump announced on Sunday in a tweet that U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan would be taking over as acting head of the department.” (AP News)

The left is highly critical of Nielsen, but worries that Trump may eventually appoint someone even worse to replace her.

“It’s no secret that Mr. Trump had a problem with Ms. Nielsen, whom he considered ‘weak’ on matters of border security… Whatever the secretary’s personal views, and no matter how impossible her job, she was the face of some of the administration’s most poorly conceived and gratuitously callous policies. At best, she was complicit and, yes, rather weak.”
(Editorial Board, New York Times)

The right thinks that it is unfair to blame Nielsen for the current crisis at the border.

“The President is obviously frustrated with the situation on the border, recently saying that our country is ‘full’ and people should turn around and go back. But the DHS Secretary doesn’t have the ability to change those policies with the wave of a wand… It’s unclear what the President thinks he’ll be able to accomplish with a new temporary DHS secretary. Policy statements can be issued, along with executive orders, but they will all be challenged and locked up in the courts by liberal opponents. Kevin McAleenan won’t be able to produce any more magic than Nielsen could. As much as I support the President’s desire to strengthen the border and block the flow of illegal aliens, this seems like an unproductive move.”
(Jazz Shaw, Hot Air)