CFPB nominee faces heat over migrant policy

WASHINGTON — Two Senate Democrats want to know what role Kathy Kraninger, who is President Trump’s choice to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, played in the administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy as a White House aide.

Kraninger oversees the budgets for the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department, which have been implementing the controversial policy that has separated at least 2,000 children from their parents crossing the U.S.-Mexico border since April.

“Kathy Kraninger helps oversee the agencies that are ripping kids from their parents,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said Tuesday on Twitter.

Warren said she would put a hold on Kraninger’s nomination to be director of the consumer bureau and “fight it at every step — until she turns over all documents about her role in this.”

In a letter to Kraninger released Tuesday, Warren and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) asked her for a “complete description” of any role she played in the policy decision in her job as associate director for general government at the White House Office of Management and Budget. They’re also asking for any documents she might have exchanged with Homeland Security, Justice Department or White House officials about the immigration policy.

White House spokespeople did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The senators’ inquiry poses another potential hurdle for the nomination of Kraninger, who has been criticized for her lack of experience in finance, bank regulation and consumer protection.

The White House surprised analysts, consumer advocates and financial industry executives Saturday with the announcement that Trump intended to nominate the little-known aide for one of the most powerful financial regulatory positions in the federal government.

Kraninger’s background is largely in Homeland Security. Trump administration officials have touted her expertise on budgetary matters as a qualification to run the consumer bureau.