U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas stated that "domestic terrorism is one of the greatest threats facing the United States, especially as the threat remains persistent."
In an interview with CNN, Mayorkas emphasized that the threat of domestic terrorism is "ongoing," and confirmed that the department will continue to work with state partners and local partners to combat it. He added that "one of the challenges we face is distinguishing between hate speech and hateful actions." Mayorkas noted that "the sight of the insurrection and the horrific events of January 6 were not only personally devastating but also instilled in me a commitment to double our efforts to combat hatred and one of the greatest threats we face today in our homeland, which is domestic terrorism."
On another note, Mayorkas, who will lead the task force focused on reuniting families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border, stated that "the cruelty of the previous administration has ended." He said, "I am a father, husband, son, and brother... I have never heard a pain greater than that of separating families," stressing that "our responsibility is to reunite families and support and facilitate their recovery." Last Tuesday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Alejandro Mayorkas, a Cuban-born individual, as Secretary of Homeland Security, making him the first Latino and the first immigrant to lead this department, which oversees immigration and border issues. This comes as President Joe Biden seeks to overturn anti-immigration decisions made by his predecessor, Donald Trump, amid calls to reform border protection policies and address the status of millions of undocumented immigrants.
