Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus’ nomination by President Biden to head U.S. Customs and Border Protection will finally move forward after being stalled in the Senate for months.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden announced Wednesday that he will schedule Magnus’ hearing before the Senate Finance Committee he chairs, which oversees the confirmation process for CBP. He did not immediately provide a date.
“If confirmed, Magnus would take charge of security and processing at U.S. borders and ports of entry as the Biden administration manages criticism from the left and right about border policies,” the Bloomberg Government news service noted Wednesday.
“CBP was without a Senate-confirmed leader as the Border Patrol, one of its components, was under fire for agents’ treatment of Haitian migrants in Del Rio, Texas,” Bloomberg’s report added.
Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, had congratulated Magnus on his nomination in April and said it was clear Customs and Border Protection faces pressing issues. But he held up the hearing because of a dispute with the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees CBP.
The senator wanted DHS to answer questions about the Trump administration’s 2020 deployment of hundreds of federal agents to Portland during Black Lives Matter demonstrations. Wyden called the deployment a misuse of federal resources “to stoke violence against peaceful protestors in my hometown.”
He said Wednesday he agreed to move forward on Magnus’ confirmation after DHS announced it will create a new council to oversee its law enforcement agencies.
“DHS is both committed to reviewing its training and engaging with communities of color to hear their concerns,” Wyden added in a news release.
U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly responded: “Border states like Arizona cannot afford any more delays in getting a Senate-confirmed Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner. Having a fully staffed Department of Homeland Security is critical to carrying out the mission of a secure and orderly process at the border, which is why I’ve been working with my colleagues to move forward with Chief Magnus’ confirmation as quickly as possible,” the Arizona Democrat said in a written statement Wednesday.
Magnus, Tucson police chief since 2016, has called his nomination “the honor of a lifetime” and “something I’m very excited about.”
He has declined to comment on the confirmation delay, saying he was asked to not discuss the process.
A statement from the White House in April said Magnus has “extensive experience in addressing immigration issues” because of his role as police chief in a “diverse city close to the U.S.-Mexican border.”
Biden administration officials also praised Magnus for developing a reputation as a “progressive police leader.”
