Meet the USD law school grad who might be homeland security secretary

The University of San Diego School of Law might soon count one of its alumni as a member of the Donald Trump administration.

Frances “Fran” Townsend, a former George W. Bush homeland security adviser met with the president-elect’s transition team on Monday; The Washington Post cited anonymous sources to say she and Marine Gen. John F. Kelly, who retired this year as chief of U.S. Southern Command, were under consideration for the top homeland security position. Townsend’s substantial resume includes a stint in San Diego in the 1980s.

Here’s more about her interesting trajectory from the University of San Diego School of Law to the White House and perhaps back to the White House again.

1. Townsend’s time in San Diego

Townsend graduated from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1984. The school’s website lists her among “distinguished speakers” to speak at the school in recent years along with Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Antonin Scalia.

“I’ve always taken particular pride that I attended a Catholic university,” she told USD Magazine in 2006.

Though her stay here was brief, if her Twitter page is any indication, she loves to return to visit.

2. The Bush administration

She was appointed Homeland Security Adviser in 2004. She described her duties to USD Magazine in 2006 and how the attack on 9/11 affected them like so: “I know very well that our enemies not only want to attack us, but plan to attack us,” she said. “I worry about that every day. I do think I see the world differently. Part of my job is to worry and ask, ‘Are we doing everything we can so the American public can go about their day without it having to be a constant worry?”

She served other roles in the administration before becoming a top adviser, including chair of the Homeland Security Council and deputy assistant to the president for combating terrorism. Her resume also includes work for the Coast Guard as assistant commandant for intelligence.

She worked with Bush until 2008.

3. The Clinton administration

She also worked under former President Bill Clinton in the Justice Department working with Attorney General Janet Reno. She spent 13 years in the Justice Department in all (so she also worked for President George H. W. Bush), including her role as Counsel to the Attorney General for Intelligence Policy.

4. Past issues with Trump

Townsend is one of those who has criticized Trump for his comments about banning Muslims from entering the United States. She says that approach could be dangerous. 

"Our greatest counter-terrorism allies are actually our Arab partners — the Saudis, the Emirates — who give us better on-the-ground intelligence about threats coming our way than any other service," she told ‘CBS This Morning’ last December. "The other thing is our diplomats and military get put at risk because they represent the U.S. in these Arab countries."

She suggested such action would discourage Muslims from providing useful information the U.S. intelligence efforts. "Here in this country, it is incredibly important that we not alienate our Muslim friends here in the United States and around the world," she said.

5. What’s she up to now?

For the past year, Townsend has acted as a senior national security analyst for CBS News.

She also serves as Executive Vice President at MacAndrews & Forbes, a diversified holding company.

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin