First look: Kristie Canegallo tapped as second-in-command at DHS

• DHS announced on Thursday that Canegallo will be replacing John Tien, who announced his retirement earlier this week.

Zoom in: Canegallo took on the role of DHS chief of staff at the start of 2022, after a tumultuous first year under Biden.

• She previously served in both the Obama and Bush administrations, including as deputy chief of staff to President Obama where she helped coordinate the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
• At DHS, she has helped navigate the large numbers of migrants and asylum seekers arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border and the end of the pandemic policy Title 42, which allowed migrants to be rapidly expelled.
• "She brings a pragmatic, problem-solving mindset and a singular focus on our mission," Mayorkas says in his written announcement, first provided to Axios.
• Before DHS, Canegallo was Google’s vice president of trust and safety.

The big picture: While DHS is tasked with a wide range of national security issues, its role in enforcing immigration laws and policies has thrust the agency — and its leaders — into the political spotlight in recent years.

• The U.S. Coast Guard, also under DHS's umbrella, recently has been heavily involved in attempts to recover the missing Titan submersible carrying five people wanting to tour the Titanic wreckage.
• Following the events of Jan 6. and facing a rise in mass shootings across the country, the agency has also increased its focus on confronting domestic violent extremism.