US Homeland Security chief Nielsen out as border crossings surge

kirstjen_nielson Former US Homeland Secretary chief Kirstjen Nielsen | Twitter

Kirstjen Nielsen, US Homeland Security chief submitted her resignation and President Trump accepted the same.

Nielsen's exit marks the end of a difficult relationship with her boss, who was said to be unhappy with her performance despite her unswerving loyalty and full-throated defence of the president's most controversial policies to curb immigration along the southern border.

Kevin McAleenan, the head of Customs and Border Protection, will serve as acting secretary for department of Homeland Security.

During her 18-month stint at the helm of the powerful agency, the 46-year-old went through with the president's controversial moves of of separating children from their parents, making her a frequent target of progressive groups and the Democratic opposition who repeatedly called on her to resign.

None of this, however, seems to have been enough for Trump.

“Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen will be leaving her position, and I would like to thank her for her service,” Trump tweeted Sunday.

Trump told reporters that he intended to go on a tougher route with regards to immigrations from Central America.

“Democrats in Congress must agree to fix loopholes — No Open Borders . Will Close Southern Border If necessary...” he tweeted Sunday evening.

On Friday, US media reported that Trump also pulled his nominee to lead the Immigration and Customs Enforcement department.

Condemnation poured in from the United Nations, human rights groups, and four former first ladies when Nielsen separated immigrant children from their parents and images of sobbing children fuelled natonal outcry.

Trump has previously shown his frustration with Nielsen saying why can't she simply “close the border” .

Border Patrol estimates put the number of migrants passing through Mexico at over 100,000 in March, most from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. Trump cut aid to the three countries last month in response to the surge.

“When even the most radical voices in the administration aren't radical enough for President Trump, you know he's completely lost touch with the American people,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday.

Disaster relief, cyber security, transportation security, the Coast Guard, customs and policing the borders all fall under the department's purview.

Nielsen found it difficult to tell the migrants that the US is full and they should go back because even a physical wall cannot prevent illegal immigrants from coming to the US. Nielsen has been tougher than previous Homeland security chief

Nielsen, though, bristled at suggestions the children were being mistreated, or placed into what appeared to be “cages.» And in any case the children taken from their parents after crossing the border were "well taken care of,” she insisted.

“@SecNielsen's legacy of tearing innocent families apart will follow her for the rest of her life-and she should be ashamed of the role she played,” Democratic senator and 2020 hopeful Elizabeth Warren tweeted of Nielsen's exit On the other side, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said Nielsen "did her best to deal with a broken immigration system and broken Congress”.