Farmworker Justice Supports the U.S. President-Elect’s Nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas as Department of Homeland Security Secretary

November 23, 2020 — Farmworker Justice strongly supports the President-elect’s nomination of the former director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Deputy Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, to serve as the next Secretary of Homeland Security.  Mayorkas brings a personal understanding of the immigrant experience. If confirmed, the former deputy secretary would be the first Latino and first immigrant to head DHS.

Throughout his career and as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program pioneer in 2012, his credibility and expertise are essential amid a pandemic that disproportionately impacts immigrant and marginalized communities. The stability and exceptional vision demonstrated by Mayorkas in any of his posts when applied as DHS Secretary could affect policy change to substantially support farmworkers’ well-being and the nation’s food supply. 

Farmworker Justice has witnessed the current administration strive to undermine DACA, irrational wage regulations on the poorest of workers, and interfere with even slight progress gained —— all issues gravely impacting farmworker communities across the United States. Farmworker Justice encourages the U.S. Senate to see a smooth confirmation for the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas to serve as the next Secretary of Homeland Security.