For Immediate Release
DHS Press Office
Contact: 202-282-8010
MIAMI — Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas today traveled to Miami to deliver remarks on the Department’s efforts on security and facilitation of legitimate travel and trade at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit. While in Miami, Deputy Secretary Mayorkas also participated in workforce engagements with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees.
Earlier today, Deputy Secretary Mayorkas attended the IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit, where he delivered remarks on the Department’s aviation security efforts and efforts to foster continued collaboration with private sector partners to facilitate legitimate travel and trade. During his remarks, Deputy Secretary Mayorkas addressed concerns related to the DHS Inspector General’s preliminary findings on TSA security screening and discussed the Department’s response. Deputy Secretary Mayorkas reiterated the steps that Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has instructed the TSA to take as part of the Department’s effort to continually enhance our security capabilities and techniques. Deputy Secretary Mayorkas also expressed his support for the nomination of U.S. Coast Guard Vice Admiral Peter Neffenger to be the next TSA Administrator and urged the Senate to confirm this nomination as quickly as possible.
While at the Summit, Deputy Secretary Mayorkas also discussed the Department’s recent announcement that the United States intends to enter into negotiations to expand air preclearance operations to ten new foreign airports, located in nine separate countries: Belgium, the Dominican Republic, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Deputy Secretary Mayorkas underscored the importance of expanding the preclearance program, which enables CBP to stop potential threats before they arrive on U.S. soil and provides strong economic opportunities.
In addition, Deputy Secretary Mayorkas participated in bilateral meetings with international airline executives from the International Airlines Group and Latin American Airlines to underscore the ties between the public and private sectors in the areas of aviation security, travel, and trade.
While in Miami, Deputy Secretary Mayorkas met with TSA employees at Miami International Airport and expressed his continued confidence in the TSA workforce. Deputy Secretary Mayorkas thanked TSA employees for the work they do every day to screen a record number of passengers at airports across the United States and to ensure the safety and security of the traveling public.
For more information, visit www.dhs.gov.
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