In his three years as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, from 2013 to 2017, Jeh Johnson defended the U.S. against terrorism and cyber-attacks and was credited with major management reforms within the agency. I recently spoke with Johnson over the phone about a number of current political matters, including undocumented immigration, terrorism, and political polarization. His unique insights on national security prescribed new solutions to a variety of issues and provided a hopeful outlook for the future.
Johnson is the 2018 recipient of the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Award and will speak at UCSB’s Campbell Hall on Sunday, December 2, at 3 p.m. For tickets, visit UCSB Arts & Lectures .
The following interview has been edited.