The Senate, which must vote to confirm the position, is out of town until after Labor Day — and in any case has put a block on the president’s ability to make recess appointments — mooting any immediate action by the White House.

But for former department officials, the month-long vacancy is concerning. The sprawling department is responsible for everything from counterterrorism efforts to immigration enforcement — and it’s the parent agency of FEMA, the country’s front-line responder to the Category 3 hurricane bearing down on Texas this weekend.

The department is also central to many of the president’s most high-profile campaign promises, like his vow to crack down on illegal immigration and domestic terror attacks.