(CNN) Chad Wolf is now the acting Homeland Security secretary, according to a department spokesperson, making him the fifth person to lead the third largest department in the federal government under President Donald Trump.

Wolf succeeds Kevin McAleenan, who helmed the Department of Homeland Security in an acting capacity since April. McAleenan, who took over after Kirstjen Nielsen's ouster, submitted his resignation to the White House on October 11.

The White House scrambled to find a replacement for McAleenan, who was initially expected to step down at the end of October. The administration tried to elevate immigration hardliners Ken Cuccinelli and Mark Morgan, both of whom lead immigration agencies in an acting capacity. But the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel concluded that they were not eligible to succeed McAleenan because they had not served at least 90 days under the last Senate-confirmed Homeland Security secretary, Nielsen.

The legal hurdles appeared to draw out the process for finding a new acting secretary.

Cuccinelli has now been elevated to acting deputy secretary of Homeland Security, according to an internal memo sent by Wolf that was obtained by CNN.

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