President Obama is said to be considering appointing San Antonio Mayor Julían Castro as head of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and moving the agency's current chief, Shaun Donvan, to the Office of Management and Budget, the San Antonio Express News, the AP, The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal are reporting quoting unnamed sources with knowledge of the deliberations.
The Express News reports Castro would leave his third term as mayor early to take the job. Castro — whose twin brother Joaquin Castro is a Democratic congressman — is considered a rising star in the Democratic party.
Remember, he was tapped to deliver the keynote address at Democratic National Convention in 2012, becoming the first Latino to do so.
"Mr. Obama's failure to push through immigration legislation has increased the political pressure on him and his Democratic allies from Latino groups that have demanded in recent weeks that the president act to reduce deportations that break up immigrant families. Mr. Obama has directed his secretary of homeland security to review deportation policy, but it is not clear whether the results of that review will satisfy immigration activists.
"Mr. Obama had previously tried to lure Mr. Castro to the cabinet. After the 2012 election, the president approached the mayor about serving as transportation secretary, but Mr. Castro indicated that he preferred to stay in San Antonio.
"It is not clear what prompted Mr. Castro's change of heart about taking an administration post. He said in an interview last month that he did not feel that moving to Washington was in his best interest. He also passed on the chance to run for governor of Texas this year."
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