KIRSTJEN NIELSEN

I worked at the crossroads of policy and operations. I kind of bring all that experience together because homeland security is a team sport, and I've played almost every role, every player, every team.

People think of border security in very different ways, but to me, it's very simple: border security is national security.

It is my great honor to represent the men and women of DHS who work every day to enforce our laws and secure our nation.

We are a country based on the rule of law.

Our policy is if you break the law, we will prosecute you. You have an option to go to a port of entry and not illegally cross into our country.

Border security is the most basic and necessary responsibility of a sovereign nation.

What we have seen the Russians do is attempt to manipulate public confidence on both sides. So we've seen them encourage people go to a protest on one side; we've seen them simultaneously encourage people to go to that same protest on the other side.

What we've done as a country is, we've said we owe it to our citizens to know who is traveling here and if they intend to do us harm.

I took an oath when I became secretary of homeland security to defend and support the Constitution.

Congress makes immigration law. It's that simple. That is how our system works.

I would hate for anybody not to abide by alert warnings coming from government systems.

If you are a DACA that's compliant with your registration, meaning you haven't committed a crime, you, in fact, are registered, you're not priority of enforcement for ICE should the program end.

I do believe that Russia did and will continue to try and manipulate Americans' perspective on a whole variety of issues.

I do absolutely believe that the climate is changing. I'm not prepared to determine causation.

We need to do more to prevent radicalization, the inspiration of terrorism in this country.

My decision has been that anyone who breaks the law will be prosecuted. If you're a parent or you're a single person or you happen to have a family, if you cross between the ports of entry, we will refer you for prosecution. You've broken U.S. law.

I fully intend in all cases and in all ways at all times to fully comply with all laws. I would expect the same of any employee or member of DHS.

Every day, we rely on a number of partnerships to help us accomplish our mission to secure our borders. State and local officials, interagency federal partners, Congress, and of course, our international partners. I have been with and will and continue to work with these partners.

There is no need for a wall from sea to shining sea.

By preventing the federal government from removing known criminal aliens, we allow our country to be a safe haven for criminals.

We want to find a permanent solution to the DACA population, not a continual three-year renewal period.

Up until the point that you're a citizen, we wanna continue to make sure we understand who you are and why you're here.

I think occasionally it's the presence - or increased presence - of federal law enforcement that can cause that fear.

Asylum is for people fleeing persecution, not those searching for a better job. Yet our broken system - with its debilitating court rulings, a crushing backlog, and gaping loopholes - allows illegal migrants to get into our country anyway and for whatever reason they want. This gaming of the system is unacceptable.

We need to fund our troops. We need to protect them. We need to increase homeland security. These are vital national security interest we need to fund.