Immigration has been a white-hot political issue for years and helped propel Donald Trump back into the White House.

The incoming president has promised mass deportations and is expected to issue a slew of related executive orders soon after being sworn in.

Seeing those through will be up to the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security.

And I spoke with the outgoing secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, earlier today.

Mr. Secretary, welcome back to the News Hour. Thanks for being here.

Thanks for having me, Omna.

I need to start with the news out of Los Angeles, which we should point out as your hometown area.

And these fires continue to rage.

They're very dangerous, high winds also predicted through tomorrow.

What do you see ahead?

When do you see, given the resources on the ground, that these fires can be brought under control?

So it is indeed devastating.

It is my hometown.

I know many people who have lost their homes. It's quite tragic.

It really depends on circumstances that are out of our control, that are out of the control of the

firefighters. You mentioned that we have to see where we are tomorrow because the area is expecting very high winds

today and tomorrow. So the weather is a great uncertainty, but there are incredibly heroic

firefighters and first responders who are doing everything they can to save as many homes

as possible, and of course, the they can to save as many homes as possible, and, of course,

the top priority to save lives. We are speaking at a time of enormous threats, both internal and

foreign, and the New Year attack in New Orleans was a clear reminder of that 14 people killed

and that terrorist attack and dozens more wounded.

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