The Senate on Wednesday cleared the way for President Trump’s next pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Senators voted 54-41 to confirm Chad Wolf to be the department’s under secretary of Homeland Security for strategy, policy, and plans.
Wolf has been filling the roll in an acting capacity. But giving him Senate confirmation allows for Trump to name him to be the acting Department of Homeland Security secretary.
{mosads}Wolf has been part of the administration’s efforts to crack down on the flow of migrants at the southern border.
Prior to joining the administration, he worked as a lobbyist advocating for companies that used H-1B visas to employ foreign workers.
Wolf will become Trump’s fifth acting or Senate-confirmed DHS secretary in less than three years, following Kevin McAleenan, who stepped down earlier this month, Kirstjen Nielsen, Elaine Duke and John Kelly.
There were reports that Trump wanted to tap acting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Ken Cuccinelli, another immigration hard-liner, to lead DHS.
But he was ineligible for the position under the Vacancies Act.
Cuccinelli is viewed as unconfirmable in the Senate due to his time spent supporting primary challengers against top GOP senators. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) previously warned against naming him to lead the department.
CNN reported on Wednesday that Cuccinelli is expected to be named to be acting DHS deputy secretary.