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Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen is resigning, effective immediately.

Nielsen announced that President Donald Trump accepted the resignation on Sunday afternoon.

“Despite our progress in reforming homeland security for a new age, I have determined that it is the right time for me to step aside,” Nielsen said in her resignation letter. “I hope that the next Secretary will have the support of Congress and the courts in fixing the laws which have impeded our ability to fully secure America's borders and which have contributed to discord in our nation's discourse.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner, Kevin McAleenan,will take over as Acting DHS Secretary, Trump tweeted.

There are currently more than 4,000 U.S. troops serving at the U.S.-Mexico border; the Pentagon recently announced that it approved a $1 billion transfer in defense spending to the Army Corps of Engineers to build 57 miles of barrier along the border.

SEE NEXT: A timeline of the National Guard's deployment to the US-Mexico border under Trump

WATCH ALSO: Border In A Nutshell

Haley Britzky
Haley Britzky

Haley Britzky was the Task & Purpose Army reporter from 2019 to 2022. She previously worked at Axios covering breaking news. She reports on important developments within the service, from new uniforms to new policies; the realities of military life facing soldiers and their families; and broader cultural issues that expand outside of the Army, touching each of the military services.  Contact the author here.

Region & Country
United States
Leadership
Northern Command