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From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues

Nielsen, Kirstjen Michele (b. 1972)

Kirstjen Nielen served as Secretary of Homeland Security from 2017 to 2019. The sixth Secretary of Homeland Security, she was appointed by President Donald Trump.

Trump campaigned on enforcing border security between Mexico and the United States, a task that fell to Nielsen as Secretary of Homeland Security. Her policies, endorsed by Trump, included separating minors from their parents at the border and housing some of those children in cage-like areas, deeply controversial actions.

Nielsen first joined the Department of Homeland Security early in 2017 as chief of staff to John F. Kelly, Trump’s first Secretary of Homeland Security. After Trump appointed Kelly his administration’s Chief of Staff, Kelly urged Trump to appoint Nielsen secretary of DHS. Nielsen had previously served in President George Bush’s staff as Special Assistant to the President for Prevention, Preparedness, and Response on the White House Homeland Security Council.

Born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Nielsen earned her BS degree at Georgetown University and her law degree at University of Virginia School of Law in 1999.

See also: Cabinets, Women in

Reference: “Kirstjen Nielsen,” https://www.dhs.gov/person/kirstjen-m-nielsen (accessed May 30, 2019).

Citation Types

Type
Format
MLA 9th
"Nielsen, Kirstjen Michele (b. 1972)." From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, edited by Suzanne O’Dea, Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0707.
APA 7th
Nielsen, Kirstjen Michele (b. 1972). From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, In S. O’Dea (Ed.), Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0707.
CMOS 17th
"Nielsen, Kirstjen Michele (b. 1972)." From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, Edited by Suzanne O’Dea. Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0707.