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Acosta Nominated for Secretary of Labor

President Trump’s new nominee to serve as Secretary of Labor is Alexander Acosta. Trump announced the nomination at a Feb. 16 press conference.

Acosta has served as the dean of the Florida International University Law School since 2009. He has also served as:

  • a member of the National Labor Relations Board (2002-2003);

  • Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division (2003-2005);

  • the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida (2005-2009) and a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3d Circuit; and

  • chairman of U.S. Century Bank since 2013.

The 48-year-old Acosta is no stranger to the Senate confirmation process, having been approved by the Senate three times. The son of Cuban immigrants, he received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard and a law degree from Harvard Law School. He practiced law at the firm of Kirkland & Ellis.

Acosta’s nomination came on Feb. 16, one day after Andrew Puzder withdrew his name from consideration for the top job at the Department of Labor.