Napolitano leaving Homeland Security to head University of California

WASHINGTON -- Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, who was only the third person to head the sprawling department created to safeguard the country from threats ranging from natural disasters to terrorism, will leave the government to head the University of California system.

A former governor of border state Arizona, Napolitano, 55, joined Obama?s Cabinet at the start of his administration and was a key player throughout. At one point, she was considered a possible pick for the Supreme Court, and she helped carry out Obama administration policies that drew criticism from immigration advocates who said they deported too many and lawmakers who said they didn?t go far enough.

Her departure at the end of the summer comes as Obama tries to move a sweeping overhaul of immigration laws through a Congress at odds over how to deal with the estimated 11 million people who are in the country illegally.

Names of possible successors began floating within hours of her announcement. New York Sen. Charles Schumer called White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough to make a pitch for New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, saying, ?We need someone just as good who can fill (Napolitano?s) shoes.?

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney declined to speculate on any candidates and said Obama would be ?very deliberate? in making a choice.

Obama said Friday that he relied on Napolitano?s judgment and advice and also came to ?value her friendship.? He lauded her work, saying her portfolio had included "some of the toughest challenges facing our country." He said she had worked ?around the clock? to respond to natural disasters and helped secure the country against terrorist attacks.

?Since day one,? he said, ?Janet has led my administration?s effort to secure our borders, deploying a historic number of resources, while also taking steps to make our immigration system fairer and more consistent with our values.?

Napolitano called her four years at Homeland Security "the highlight of my professional career? and said the department had minimized ?threats of all kinds to the American public."

She said the agency had improved the safety of travelers and took ?smart steps that make our immigration system more fair and focused while deploying record resources to protect our nation?s borders.?

In addition to being mentioned as a potential Obama Supreme Court choice, Napolitano was considered a potential second term replacement to replace embattled Attorney General Eric Holder, who decided to stay on the job.

Napolitano had her share of critics among immigration advocates and those who want more aggressive border enforcement, but she never became a partisan lightning rod for the administration. Republican Sen. John McCain said his fellow Arizonan had served ?with honor? in ?one of the toughest and most thankless jobs in Washington.?

McCain said the two had had disagreements but that he never ?doubted her integrity, work ethic or commitment to our nation?s security.?

Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, praised Napolitano?s work but said her pending departure added to a ?growing list of unfilled key leadership positions within the department.?

The head of the department?s crucial Immigration and Customs Enforcement, John Morton, previously announced plans to step down at the end of July.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/07/12/3497672/napolitano-leaving-homeland-security.html

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