Kirstjen Nielsen, Trump's nominee to lead DHS, opposes wall along length of Mexican border

Donovan Slack | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Trump border wall samples complete U.S. officials say eight border wall samples are now ready to be tested to see how they'll hold up against everything from hammers to torches. They were built as part of President Trump's proposed border wall with Mexico. (Oct. 26)

WASHINGTON — President Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday that she does not support building a wall along the entire length of the U.S. southern border.

Kirstjen Nielsen, an attorney with cyber- and homeland security experience, told senators during her confirmation hearing that the border should be fortified instead with a mix of personnel, technology and physicial fencing.

Her stand mirrors that of former DHS secretary — and her current boss — White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. Nielsen was Kelly's chief of staff at DHS and followed him to the White House, where she is principal deputy chief of staff.

"The president has stated as have predecessors at DHS certainly something that I share: There is no need for a wall from sea to shining sea," she said.

Nielsen previously worked at the Transportation Security Administration and on the White House Homeland Security Council under President George W. Bush.

If confirmed, she will oversee some 240,000 employees at Customs and Border Protection, the Transportation Security Administration, Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, among other agencies.

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Senators grilled her during the hearing about climate change, port security, deferring deportation for children brought to the country illegally, and combating violent extremism, including by white supremacists.

Nielsen vowed to closely monitor and strengthen department programs designed to counter extremism. She said undocumented children brought to the United States illegally will not be a priority for deportation if she is confirmed, and that criminals would be.

Nielsen's nomination has not been particularly controversial since Trump announced it last month. She is expected to win confirmation easily, though she did provide some answers Wednesday that took some some senators aback. For example on climate change, Nielsen declined to say she believes humans caused it.

"I do absolutely believe that the climate is changing," she said. "I'm not prepared to determine causation."

Nielsen later pledged that she would review the science.

Facing questions from Democrats about Trump's policy pronouncements that have drawn protracted court battles, Nielsen said she would have no qualms about standing up to the president if she felt he any of his orders were not doable or even illegal.

In a questionnaire submitted to the committee before the hearing, she said that her top priorities, risk-wise are border security, law enforcement, cyber security and “understanding both how our risks are evolving and the most efficient and effective ways to address those risks.”

Nielsen also said she would seek to create more unity of efforts across the department, a vulnerability identified recently by the department’s inspector general, who concluded breakdowns between agency counterparts could pose threats to national security and public safety.

“I will also work to promote joint education and training of DHS personnel to underscore that homeland security, although made up of component missions, is one mission and to be effective, DHS must be able to function as one team,” Nielsen wrote.

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