Susan Rice, the long–time domestic policy adviser to President Joe Biden, will be stepping down from her post next month. Rice‘s departure comes at a time when the Biden administration is facing a growing controversy over its handling of migrant children who arrive at the southern border unaccompanied.
Rice‘s tenure in the White House has been marked by a flurry of executive and legislative actions on healthcare, gun safety, student loans, policing, and other key priorities for Democrats. However, some of these policies, such as immigration, have been controversial.
White House chief of staff Jeff Zients praised Rice for her leadership and her range, saying she has taken the Domestic Policy Council to new heights. Rice was the first person ever to serve as both the national security adviser and the domestic policy adviser.
Her exit from the White House also comes as the Biden administration is preparing to end pandemic–era restrictions for asylum seekers, a move that is expected to lead to an influx of migrants at the southern border. Crafting a strategy for when the policy ends has been among one of Rice’s top challenges.
Rice has told colleagues she entered the administration intending to stay two years, and her exit also coincides with a growing controversy over the White House‘s handling of migrant children. The White House has denied that Rice ignored warnings that sponsors of migrant children were making them work grueling jobs in violation of child labor laws.
When selecting Rice’s successor, the administration is said to be considering both internal and external candidates. The role of domestic policy adviser for the remainder of the Biden administration will be more focused on implementing existing policies and executive actions rather than rushing to pass new legislation.
Rice’s exit from the White House has been praised by her colleagues, including former White House press secretary Jen Psaki and former White House chief of staff Ron Klain. Psaki commended Rice for being a policy wonk who was able to quickly learn new policy issues, while Klain praised her for being a great colleague and mentor to young people in the White House.
Rice has not ruled out a future stint in government. For now, she plans to spend the summer with her family and contemplate her next act.
