Some of the members had been installed under former President Donald Trump.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas fired most members of the Homeland Security Advisory Council on Friday, according to a letter obtained by ABC News.
The Homeland Security Advisory Council is made up of 30 members – Democrats and Republicans. Some of those dismissed included former President Donald Trump’s allies, such as former DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli and former Immigration and Customs Director Thomas Homan.
“I am considering how HSAC can bring the greatest value to the Department and how the experience, judgment and advice of its members can be used more effectively to further the Department’s mission. I look forward to working closely with HSAC and to count on its members to help guide the Department during a period of change, “wrote Mayorkas.
HSAC produces reports and advises the secretary on a range of issues, from domestic violent extremism to biometrics.
“In the service of an orderly transition to a new model for HSAC, I ended the term of current HSAC members from March 26, 2021,” he wrote. “I will reconstitute HSAC in the coming weeks, as soon as the new model is developed. President William Bratton and Vice President Karen Tandy will remain in their leadership positions at HSAC. William Webster will remain as president emeritus of HSAC. I was privileged to work with Judge Webster throughout my previous service in the Department. “
Bratton, Tandy and Webster are the only three members still listed on the HSAC website. Bratton, the former NYPD commissioner, serves as commissioner.
Classification member on the House’s Internal Security Committee, John Katko, RN.Y., criticized the action.
“While these members serve to the secretary’s delight, today’s action sends the message that this government has no intention of defending a bipartisan and unifying approach to protecting our homeland,” said Katko. “HSAC is not intended to be an echo chamber for what the current DHS secretary wants to hear. Its mission is to provide a diverse set of knowledgeable perspectives to combat the evolving threats of today and tomorrow.”
Trump’s former DHS acting secretary, Chad Wolf, who appointed some of the members, tweeted that was also a mistake.
“While I respect the right of a DHS secretary to change HSAC to suit his needs, dismissing the entire board immediately and interrupting a lot of important work (which was underway) is not the right approach,” wrote Wolf.
Mark Osborne of ABC News contributed to this report.