L. Francis Cissna, the director of the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services, submitted his resignation Friday at the direction of President Donald Trump, according to multiple reports.
He’ll be replaced by former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, Politico reported, citing an unnamed source.
His resignation takes effect June 1, BuzzFeed reported. Cissna served for more than a decade at the Department of Homeland Security, and was appointed to lead USCIS in the early days of the Trump administration.
According to Politico, the ouster has been in the works for weeks as Trump shakes up his officials. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Ronald Vitiello, who was acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, left their positions last month.
Republican lawmakers had urged the president to keep Cissna, but White House adviser Stephen Miller pushed for the ouster, Politico reported.
“We are the government servants charged with lawfully, efficiently and fairly adjudicating requests for immigration benefits, while protecting Americans, securing the homeland, and honoring our nation’s values," Cissna wrote in an email to staff, Politico reported.
"I have always been and will remain keenly aware of these charges and your diligence in fulfilling our mission."
USCIS oversees legal immigration. Under the Trump administration and Cissna's leadership, the agency has been a key element in the hardline crackdown on immigration.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.