New York, December 9 (RHC)-- Donald Trump has announced he’s picked retired four-star Marine General John Kelly to be secretary of homeland security.  Kelly was formerly the head of United States Southern Command, where he oversaw the military jail at Guantánamo Bay. 

Margaret Huang, executive director for Amnesty International USA, said of Kelly: "We’re particularly concerned that while chief of U.S. Southern Command, Kelly oversaw Guantánamo during periods of extensive hunger strikes and forced-feeding that was unsafe and inhumane." 

General Kelly has repeatedly testified to Congress that the U.S.-Mexico border represents a threat to national security, leading many to worry he will escalate the militarization of the border and U.S. immigration policy overall. 

While the head of United States Southern Command, Kelly also promoted the Alliance for Prosperity, a program that provides hundreds of millions of dollars in police and military funding to Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.  The program has been criticized by human rights activists and some Democratic lawmakers, who are calling for the suspension of this funding to Honduras until the country addresses its gross human rights violations. 

Kelly retired from the military in 2015.  He’s the third army general Trump has picked for top positions so far.  The other two are retired Lieutenant General Mike Flynn for national security adviser and retired Marine Corps General James Mattis for defense secretary.