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A 'near-systematic purge' is happening at the Department of Homeland Security after Secret Service director is reportedly ousted

Joe Perticone   

A 'near-systematic purge' is happening at the Department of Homeland Security after Secret Service director is reportedly ousted
Politics2 min read

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 06: U.S. President Donald Trump gestures after speaking during the Republican Jewish Coalition's annual leadership meeting at The Venetian Las Vegas on April 6, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Trump has cited his moving of the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and his decision to pull the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal as reasons for Jewish voters to leave the Democratic party and support him and the GOP instead. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

  • President Trump is reportedly removing the Secret Service director.
  • This marks a second departure from a top official at the Department of Homeland Security in fewer than 24 hours.
  • Trump announced Sunday night that DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen would be resigning, to be replace by the current US Customs chief.

President Donald Trump is removing Randolph "Tex" Alles as the Secret Service Director, marking the second departure of a top official at the Department of Homeland Security in under 24 hours.

CNN reported Alles is being removed from his post on Monday, which follows the resignation of DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen on Sunday evening.

Read more: Before Nielsen's abrupt resignation, hardline Trump adviser Stephen Miller was reportedly handed total control of border policy

According to CNN, a senior administration official described Alles' ousting following Nielsen as a "near-systematic purge happening at the nation's second-largest national security agency."

The Secret Service is a part of DHS, which has now lost two key officials since Trump announced on Twitter that Nielsen would be resigning on Sunday evening.

Kevin McAleenan, the current commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection, is now slated to serve as acting DHS secretary.

The officials' ousting comes as White House Senior Adviser Stephen Miller has been consolidating power on immigration policy, a top priority for DHS. Miller is a border and immigration hardliner inside the White House and helped craft the controversial child separation policy from last year.

The shifting roles also come as the Trump administration is moving forward with the national emergency declaration to build a wall along the US-Mexico border using diverted military funds. After attempts to terminate the emergency declaration failed in Congress, Trump is moving full-steam ahead.

But there are still several lawsuits challenging the emergency declaration's reprogramming of appropriated funds, including a recently announced legal challenge from House Democrats.

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