United States Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano will leave her position in September to become the new president of the University of California system. Napolitano will become the first woman in its 145-year history to hold the post.

The news was first reported by the Los Angeles Times' Larry Gordon.

Napolitano has served as the leader of President Barack Obama's homeland security division since his first inauguration in 2009.

Her departure will come at a time when Washington is in the midst of a furious debate over reshaping and reforming the nation's immigration laws. Napolitano has been an outspoken proponent of the recently passed Senate bill that is considered a non-starter in the Republican controlled House of Representatives.

Napolitano, a Democrat, was the governor of Arizona from 2003-09.

Here's her full statement:

"For more than four years I have had the privilege of serving President Obama and his Administration as the Secretary of Homeland Security. The opportunity to work with the dedicated men and women of the Department of Homeland Security, who serve on the frontlines of our nation’s efforts to protect our communities and families from harm, has been the highlight of my professional career. We have worked together to minimize threats of all kinds to the American public. The Department has improved the safety of travelers; implemented smart steps that make our immigration system more fair and focused while deploying record resources to protect our nation’s borders; worked with states to build resiliency and make our nation’s emergency and disaster response capabilities more robust; and partnered with the private sector to improve our cybersecurity. After four plus years of focusing on these challenges, I will be nominated as the next President of the University of California to play a role in educating our nation’s next generation of leaders. I thank President Obama for the chance to serve our nation during this important chapter in our history, and I know the Department of Homeland Security will continue to perform its important duties with the honor and focus that the American public expects."

And a statement from Obama:

I want to thank Secretary Napolitano for her outstanding work on behalf of the American people over the last four years. At the Department of Homeland Security, Janet’s portfolio has included some of the toughest challenges facing our country. She’s worked around the clock to respond to natural disasters, from the Joplin tornado to Hurricane Sandy, helping Americans recover and rebuild. Since day one, Janet has led my administration’s effort to secure our borders, deploying a historic number of resources, while also taking steps to make our immigration system fairer and more consistent with our values. And the American people are safer and more secure thanks to Janet’s leadership in protecting our homeland against terrorist attacks. I’ve come to rely on Janet’s judgment and advice, but I’ve also come to value her friendship. And as she begins a new chapter in a remarkable career of public service, I wish her the best of luck.

CORRECTION: This post has been updated to reflect the fact that Napolitano did not resign from her position at Homeland Security today. She plans to depart from the office in September.

