Alejandro Mayorkas

Officials are trying to shrink the timetable for many asylum cases from "years to months." That could benefit people with legitimate asylum claims and discourage some unauthorized migration.

President Biden's administration is scrambling to contain one of the first big political firestorms of his presidency as thousands of migrant children arrive at the border without their parents.

More than 4,000 unaccompanied minors are in U.S. custody at the border, straining Homeland Security capacity. Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told lawmakers "it will take time" to get under control.

The unaccompanied minors are spending an average of 117 hours in detention facilities, beyond the 72 hours allowed, according to a Department of Homeland Security document.

President Biden has called his predecessor's "Remain in Mexico" program for asylum-seekers "inhumane." Next week, a new program begins, but details are still being worked out.

Senate confirmation of the first immigrant to lead DHS comes on the same day President Biden is expected to sign a series of executive actions on immigration.

Alejandro Mayorkas, who would be the first Latino and first immigrant to lead DHS, was previously the head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The president-elect's history-making picks include the first Latino nominated to head the Department of Homeland Security and the first woman to lead the intelligence community.