Jonathan Fahey Explained

Jonathan Fahey
Office:Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Term Start:December 31, 2020
Term End:January 13, 2021
Successor:Tae Johnson
Predecessor:Tony Pham
President:Donald Trump
Education:James Madison University (BS)
University of San Diego (JD)
Party:Republican

Jonathan Fahey is an American attorney, politician, academic, and law enforcement official who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and later the senior official performing the duties of the director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from December 31, 2020, to January 13, 2021.[1]

Education

Fahey earned a Bachelor of Science degree from James Madison University and a Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law.[2]

Career

After graduating from law school, Fahey worked as a law clerk in Fairfax and Arlington County, Virginia. For 17 years, Fahey served as a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. He was the lead prosecutor in the 2014 trial of serial killer Jorge Torrez, a ex-Marine whose case drew significant attention because of the horrific nature of the crimes and because it was a rare case where a defendant was sentenced to death in federal court.[3] In 2015, Attorney General Loretta Lynch awarded Fahey the John Marshall Award for Trial of Litigation for his prosecution of Torrez.[4]

In 2019, Fahey launched an unsuccessful campaign for Commonwealth's Attorney of Fairfax County, running as an Independent[5] [6]

Fahey served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, later serving as the senior official performing the duties of the director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from December 31, 2020, to January 13, 2021.[1] He resigned 7 days after the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol and was succeeded by Tae Johnson.[7] [8] [9] [10]

In 2021, Fahey won a dismissal in federal court in a high-profile police shooting case in federal court after successfully arguing that the case violated the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution.[11] Fahey has served as an adjunct professor at the American University Washington College of Law and at George Washington University Department of Forensic Science. As of February 2024, he was a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of the law firm Holtzman Vogel Baran Torchinsky & Josefiak, PLLC, known as Holtzman Vogel.[12] He frequently appears on Fox News and Fox Business to comment on current events, legal and political issues.[13]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jonathan Fahey . . 13 June 2022.
  2. Web site: 2020-12-31. Trump administration taps criminal prosecutor to run ICE. 2021-01-15. Washington Examiner. en.
  3. News: Zapotosky . Matt . 2014-04-23 . Ex-Marine in death-penalty case said he feels no remorse for slayings of two girls in Illinois . The Washington Post . 2022-12-29.
  4. Web site: 2015-10-21 . Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch Hosts the 63rd Annual Attorney General Awards Honoring Department Employees and Others For Their Service . 2022-12-29 . www.justice.gov . en.
  5. Web site: 2019-09-21. Fairfax GOP Endorses Jonathan Fahey for Commonwealth Attorney. 2021-08-31. Fairfax County Republican Committee. en-US.
  6. Web site: 2019-08-13. Former Federal Prosecutor Joins Commonwealth's Attorney Race. 2021-01-15. Tysons Reporter. en.
  7. Web site: Jonathan Fahey. 2021-01-15. immigrationcourtside.com. en-US.
  8. Web site: 2021-01-14. Head of ICE, Jonathan Fahey, resigns abruptly after 13 days in position. 2021-01-15. Washington Examiner. en.
  9. Web site: ICE's Latest Leader Has Resigned After Just Two Weeks On The Job. 2021-01-15. BuzzFeed News. 14 January 2021 . en.
  10. Web site: Knutson. Jacob. Acting director of ICE Jonathan Fahey resigns. 2021-01-15. Axios. en.
  11. News: Barakat . Matthew . 2021-08-23 . Park Police officers seek immunity from manslaughter charge . AP News . 2022-12-29.
  12. Web site: Holtzman Vogel Jonathan L. Fahey Partner . holtzmanvogel.com . Holtzman Vogel Baran Torchinsky & Josefiak, PLLC . 5 March 2024.
  13. Web site: 2022-10-24 . Biden willing to sacrifice national security to keep border open: Jonathan Fahey . 2022-12-29 . Fox Business.