Key Biden immigration nominee to testify amid busiest US-Mexico border in two decades

Featuring Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus

TUCSON, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY/CNN) - President Joe Biden's pick to lead the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus, is expected to testify before a Senate panel Tuesday.

His testimony should prove his worth and make a respectable argument for why he should lead the border agency during one of the busiest years in two decades on the southern border.

"More than a few colleagues, friends, and family members have asked me, 'What are you thinking?' Why would I choose to take on the important but challenging responsibility of leading CBP at this moment?" he'll say, according to his prepared remarks. "I want to make a difference."

Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden cited unanswered questions about the Portland protests last year, stalling Magnus' nomination.

However, new information provided by the Department of Homeland Security has put the nomination back on track.

If confirmed, he will take the steering wheel of America's largest law enforcement agency and the second-largest revenue-collecting source in the federal government.

"I know all too well the impact that trade and its economic effects can have on America's communities. As a police officer in Lansing, Michigan, I saw firsthand what happened when the US auto industry struggled during the 80s and 90s," Magnus is expected to say. "If confirmed to lead this agency, I will work with this Committee and with Congress to protect intellectual property, US agriculture, and the many products that Americans rely upon."

He also served for 10 years as police chief for Richmond, California, and prior to that as police chief in Fargo, North Dakota, according to the department's biography.