While appointment of acting officials is generally governed by the
Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 (FVRA), the
Homeland Security Act of 2002 creates exceptions to FVRA, mandating that the
under secretary of homeland security for management is third in the line of succession for Secretary of Homeland Security, and establishes an alternate process by which the secretary can directly establish a line of succession outside the provisions of the FVRA. •
Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security •
Under Secretary for Management • Commissioner of the
U.S. Customs and Border Protection •
Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans • Administrator and Assistant Secretary of the Transportation Security Administration • Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Formerly, an April 10, 2019 update to the DHS Orders of Succession, made pursuant to the
Homeland Security Act of 2002, provided a different order in the case of unavailability to act during a disaster or catastrophic emergency: • Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security • Under Secretary for Management • Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection • Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency • Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency • Under Secretary for Science and Technology • Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis • Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration • Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement • Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services • Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans • General Counsel • Deputy Under Secretary for Management • Deputy Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection • Deputy Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration • Deputy Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement • Deputy Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services • Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers As a result of Executive Order 13753 in 2016, the order of succession for the secretary of homeland security was as follows: • Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security • Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Management • Administrator of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency •
Under Secretary of Homeland Security for National Protection and Programs •
Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology •
Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis • Commissioner of
U.S. Customs and Border Protection • Administrator of the
Transportation Security Administration • Director of
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement • Director of
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services •
Assistant Secretary for Policy • General Counsel of the
Department of Homeland Security • Deputy Under Secretary for Management • Deputy Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection • Deputy Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration • Deputy Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement • Deputy Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services • Director of the
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center == Office of the Secretary of Homeland Security ==