Kenneth Cuccinelli Named as Acting Director of USCIS

On Monday, June 10, Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan announced that President Trump named Kenneth Cuccinelli II as Acting Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Mr. Cuccinelli assumed the role on the same day.

While Cuccinelli has been a strong supporter of President Trump’s immigration policies, the nomination is met with opposition from Senate Republicans and Democrats.

In the “acting” position Cuccinelli and the White House can avoid the Senate confirmation process, bypassing the rules that govern vacancies.

Prior to serving as the acting USCIS Director, Cuccinelli is a former Virginia attorney general and state lawmaker. In 2008, as a member of the Virginia Senate from the 37th District, Cuccinelli sponsored a resolution to rewrite the Constitution to deny citizenship to American-born children of immigrants in the U.S. without authorization.