The Senate has approved President Donald Trump’s nomination of Kevin McAleenan to lead the U.S. Customs and Border Protection through a 77-19 vote, The Hill reported Monday.
McAleenan, who has served as CBP commissioner on an acting basis since January 2017, was nominated for the full-time position in March of last year.
He manages approximately 60,000 CBP personnel and the agency’s $13 billion annual budget for border security, counterterrorism and trade enforcement programs.
Previously, McAleenan held the deputy commissioner role and helped develop strategies to guard U.S. borders against terrorist attacks and transnational criminal networks.
The 12-year Senior Executive Service member received a Presidential Rank Award in 2015.
