Former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerik??¢â???¬â???¢s nomination as Homeland Security secretary went up in smoke when it was revealed he had hired an illegal alien to work in his home. The primary role of the Department of Homeland Security is to secure the borders and enforce the immigration laws in the interior of the country. Kerik was never known to be hawkish on enforcing immigration laws-even in New York City, after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks there. White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales, the attorney general-designate, vetted Kerik??¢â???¬â???¢s nomination.