Mayorkas Sworn in as New Director of USCIS
Posted Aug 21, 2009
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Alejandro Mayorkas was sworn in as the new Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on August 12, 2009. Director Mayorkas, who was born in Havana, Cuba, has a long history of government service as a federal prosecutor in California.
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Career in Both Public and Private Sector
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Director Mayorkas's impressive career includes both experience as a federal prosecutor and as a partner in a major law firm. From 1989 until 1998, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. In 1998, then-President Bill Clinton nominated him as the youngest U.S. Attorney at that time. He managed the largest U.S. Attorney's Office in the United States, which then had a staff of 240 Assistant U.S. Attorneys.
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Life as Private Sector Attorney
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After the January 2001 change of presidential administrations, Director Mayorkas joined the law firm of O'Melveny & Myers LLP the following July. In his role as a litigation partner, he focused his practice on complex civil and criminal litigation, as well as leading internal investigations. His clients include companies in a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, health care, consumer safety, sports and entertainment, aerospace, media, and real estate.
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Policy Views of Director Mayorkas Helpful, but Troubling
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While Director Mayorkas is an accomplished attorney and has demonstrated a commitment to community service, it is unclear what policy vision he will bring to his leadership role at the USCIS. As a U.S. Attorney, he was instrumental in improving the prosecution of hate crimes and other acts of discrimination. His experience as a federal prosecutor and his background in leading internal investigations of private companies appear to tie in with the USCIS's current trend toward investigating employers and targeting fraud within nonimmigrant and immigrant visa programs. However, the enforcement background is troubling in that the primary mission of the USCIS is service and issuance of immigration benefits, when appropriate.
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We at the Murthy Law Firm will continue to track changes to the USCIS's policies and key personnel. We consider it important to update our readers on significant changes in personnel, since the individual in charge of any service, bureau, office, agency, or organization is likely to impact its policy and implementation.