Biden nominates Ken Salazar as ambassador to Mexico

President Biden will nominate former Interior Secretary and former Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar (D) as ambassador to Mexico, the White House announced on Tuesday. 

In addition to his roles in the federal government, Salazar has also been the attorney general of Colorado and was its first Latino elected to statewide office. 

Among his notable moves at the Interior Department was implementing a 20-year ban on mining uranium from public lands in 2012. 

Currently, he’s a partner with the law firm WilmerHale. 

A statement from the White House noted that Salazar’s native language is Spanish.

News that he would be nominated for the role leaked last month, but Tuesday’s announcement comes as confirmation. 

His nomination comes as border issues have been in the spotlight, with the number of people trying to cross into the U.S. on the rise. 

Salazar was nominated alongside eight others, including C. B. “Sully” Sullenberger III, who famously conducted an emergency plane landing in the Hudson River in 2009 and will represent the U.S. at the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization.

The nominees will need to be confirmed by the Senate.