The U.S. Senate voted 50-47 Tuesday to confirm Chris Magnus as head of Customs and Border Protection, and the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ City Council immediately chose his replacement as chief of police.Â
Magnus' confirmation came almost entirely on partisan lines; Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine joined with Democrats in approving it. Republicans Tom Cotton of Arkansas and James Lankford of Tennessee and Democrat Patrick Leahy of Vermont were absent.Â
Appointed by President Joe Biden, Magnus will oversee the Border Patrol and the customs officers at legal ports of entry, such as those in Nogales and Douglas. The job includes managing a budget of $15 billion and more than 60,000 employees who arrest migrants who cross the border illegally; catch drugs smuggled across the border; search for counterfeit goods at ports of entry; and manage legal cross-border trade.
Magnus, who immediately resigned as ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ police chief after the vote, told the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Tuesday he believes he's leaving the department in good shape with newly appointed Chief Chad Kasmar, who was a deputy chief here.
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“Chad is far and away the right choice at the right time and I have tremendous confidence he’s going to do an outstanding job," Magnus said.
"It's not necessary to look outside the department for a person that can continue this kind of community engagement and progressive response to crime fighting," he said earlier Tuesday before Kasmar's appointment, adding, "Any of our chiefs are more than capable to run the agency, but there's a lot of coalescing around Deputy Chief Chad Kasmar. He's so ready to take the reins over here."
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s mayor and council voted unanimously to appoint Kasmar as chief Tuesday afternoon, with City Manager Mike Ortega saying he's working to finalize Kasmar's contract by the council's Dec. 21 meeting. Magnus' salary was $212,600 as of fiscal year 2020 while Kasmar's was $177,550.
“Chad Kasmar is a proud product of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ with deep roots, he understands the needs of our city, and he is ready to take on the challenges ahead," Mayor Regina Romero said in a news release. “I will be asking Chief Kasmar to embark on a listening tour with community members throughout our city to inform his vision for the department."
Kasmar was hired by the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Department in 2000 and was promoted by Magnus to deputy chief in November 2016. Kasmar has been working as interim head of 911 operations since January.
Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat from ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, said of Magnus' confirmation: “This bipartisan vote gives ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ much-needed leadership at Customs and Border Protection at a time when we continue to face challenges at the border demonstrated by the increase in migrants in the Yuma Sector over the past two days.
"Chris Magnus brings experience and understanding of Southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ that will be important for his new role leading CBP as we continue working to secure the border, upgrade our ports of entry, and ensure a more orderly and humane process at the border that doesn’t fall on ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ communities,†Kelly said in a written statement.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Democrat Sen. Kyrsten Sinema said in a written statement: “Confirmation of Chris Magnus to be Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection underscores the Senate’s trust in his exceptional qualifications and history of service. This confirmation represents a step toward improving how the federal government manages and secures the border.
"I look forward to working with Commissioner Magnus to secure the border, protect our communities, and ensure migrants are treated fairly and humanely,†said Sinema, who is chair of the Senate Government Operations and Border Management Subcommittee.
Biden nominated Magnus in April. The process stalled when Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, first demanded that the Homeland Security and Justice departments answer unrelated questions about actions under the Trump administration. But Wyden praised Magnus and his panel narrowly advanced his nomination to the full Senate.Â
Magnus has called the appointment “the honor of a lifetime,†saying it’s not something he expected, “but it’s something I’m very excited about.â€
Administration officials said in April that Magnus has “extensive experience in addressing immigration issues†because of his role as police chief in a “diverse city close to the U.S.-Mexican border." Officials also praised Magnus for developing a reputation as a “progressive police leader.â€
Magnus said it's hard to leave TPD and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, as he's really come to love the community and the department.
"That doesn't mean I've loved everything that happened here. Some situations have been some of the most difficult I've handled in my career," he told the Star Tuesday. "But this team doesn't give up, and they'll continue to work with the community to do the right things in the right way."
Magnus started his public safety career as a dispatcher in 1979, also working as a paramedic for nearly a decade before moving into law enforcement. He served as police chief in Fargo, North Dakota and Richmond, California before being selected as TPD chief in January 2016, following a national search.Â
Photos: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Chief Chris Magnus

New ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Department Chief Chris Magnus smiles and laughs during his swearing-in ceremony on March 30, 2016, at the Westside Police Service Center, 1310 W. Miracle Mile, in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. Magnus comes to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ from the Richmond Police Department in California.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Chief Chris Magnus, during a press conference discussing proposed changes to the department, March 9, 2016.

Judge Philip Espinosa, left, delivers the oath as new ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Department Chief Chris Magnus, right, is sworn in at the Westside Police Service Center on March 30, 2016.

New ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Department Chief Chris Magnus, left, is pinned by his husband Terrance Cheung, right, during his swearing-in ceremony at the Westside Police Service Center on March 30, 2016.

New ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Department Chief Chris Magnus, left, shakes hands with ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ mayor Jonathan Rothschild at his swearing-in ceremony on March 30, 2016.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Chief Chris Magnus talks with Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos at a press conference announcing the start of a public awareness campaign for Look! Save A Life on Oct. 7, 2016.

Chris Magnus welcoming a new officer to the force from the Southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Law Enforcement Training Center's graduation class 17-4, February 1, 2018.

Pima County Sheriff Mark Napier and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Chief Chris Magnus talk following a domestic violence awareness presser at the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Department headquarters, Oct. 1, 2019.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Department Chief Chris Magnus answers questions from the media about a $2 million federal grant that will offer aid response to sexual assault cases after a press conference at the Pima County Attorney's office, 32 N. Stone Ave., ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on October 8th, 2019.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Chief Chris Magnus, left, and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ City Mayor Regina Romero during a press conference regarding the in-custody death of Carlos Ingram-Lopez on April 21. Magnus offered his resignation during the press conference on June 24, 2020.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Department Chief Chris Magnus receives the Moderna vaccine at a Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine clinic at the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Convention Center on Jan. 15, 2021.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Chief Chris Magnus, right, thanks Andrew Messing, president of Steven M. Gootter Foundation, for the new AED's, which were donated by the Steven M. Gootter Foundation, at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Department on June 22, 2021.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Chief Chris Magnus, left, speaks with Mayor Regina Romero after a press conference on July 19, 2021.
Star reporter Nicole Ludden contributed to this story.
Contact Star reporter Caitlin Schmidt at 573-4191 or cschmidt@tucson.com. On Twitter: @caitlincschmidt.