United States Secretary of Homeland Security

United States Secretary of Homeland Security
Seal of the Department of Homeland Security
Flag of the secretary
Incumbent Kristi Noem since January 25, 2025
Department of Homeland Security
Style	Mr. Secretary (informal) The Honorable (formal)
Member of	Cabinet Homeland Security Council National Security Council
Reports to	President
Seat	St. Elizabeths West Campus, Washington, D.C., U.S.
Appointer	President with Senate advice and consent
Term length	No fixed term
Constituting instrument	6 U.S.C. § 112
Formation	January 24, 2003 (2003-01-24)
First holder	Tom Ridge
Succession	Eighteenth
Deputy	Deputy Secretary
Salary	Executive Schedule, Level I
Website	dhs.gov

The United States Secretary of Homeland Security is the head of the United States Department of Homeland Security, the body concerned with protecting the American homeland and the safety of American citizens. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet. The position was created following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

List of Secretaries of Homeland Security

Parties

  Republican (5)   Democratic (3)   Independent (4)

Status

  Denotes Acting Homeland Security Secretary

No.		Portrait	Name	Senate vote	Term of office			State of residence	President
					Took office	Left office	Duration
1			Tom Ridge (born 1945)	94–0	January 24, 2003	February 1, 2005	2 years, 8 days	Pennsylvania		George W. Bush (2001–2009)
–			James Loy (born 1942) Acting	–	February 1, 2005	February 15, 2005	14 days	Pennsylvania
2			Michael Chertoff (born 1953)	98–0	February 15, 2005	January 21, 2009	3 years, 341 days	New Jersey
3			Janet Napolitano (born 1957)	Voice vote	January 21, 2009	September 6, 2013	4 years, 228 days	Arizona		Barack Obama (2009–2017)
–			Rand Beers (born 1942) Acting	–	September 6, 2013	December 23, 2013	108 days	District of Columbia
4			Jeh Johnson (born 1957)	78–16	December 23, 2013	January 20, 2017	3 years, 28 days	New Jersey
5			John F. Kelly (born 1950)	88–11	January 20, 2017	July 31, 2017	192 days	Massachusetts		Donald Trump (2017–2021)
–			Elaine Duke (born 1958) Acting	–	July 31, 2017	December 6, 2017	128 days	Ohio
6			Kirstjen Nielsen (born 1972)	62–37	December 6, 2017	April 10, 2019	1 year, 125 days	Florida
–			Kevin McAleenan (born 1971) Acting; unlawful tenure	–	April 10, 2019	November 13, 2019	217 days	Hawaii
–			Chad Wolf (born 1976) Acting; unlawful tenure	–	November 13, 2019	January 11, 2021	1 year, 59 days	Virginia
–			Pete Gaynor (born 1968) Acting	–	January 11, 2021	January 20, 2021	9 days	Rhode Island
–			David Pekoske (born 1955) Acting	–	January 20, 2021	February 2, 2021	13 days	Connecticut		Joe Biden (2021–2025)
7			Alejandro Mayorkas (born 1959)	56–43	February 2, 2021	January 20, 2025	3 years, 353 days	District of Columbia
–			Benjamine Huffman Acting	–	January 20, 2025	January 25, 2025	5 days			Donald Trump (2025–present)
8			Kristi Noem (born 1971)	59–34	January 20, 2025	Incumbent	3 days	South Dakota

^a James Loy served as acting secretary in his capacity as Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security.

^b Rand Beers served as acting secretary in his capacity as confirmed Undersecretary of Homeland Security for National Protection and Programs and Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security; Beers was the highest ranking Senate-approved presidential appointee at the Department of Homeland Security.

^c Elaine Duke served as acting secretary in her capacity as Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security.

^d Kevin McAleenan served as acting secretary in his capacity as Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection. His tenure was ruled unlawful.

^e Chad Wolf served as acting secretary in his capacity as Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Strategy, Policy, and Plans. His tenure was ruled unlawful.

^f Peter Gaynor served as acting secretary in his capacity as Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator.

^g David Pekoske served as acting secretary in his capacity as Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration