A political appointee at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) resigned abruptly Thursday after derogatory remarks he had made in the past about black people and Muslims on conservative talk radio came back to haunt him.

Rev. Jamie Johnson, who was appointed as the head of faith-based and neighborhood partnerships at the Department of Homeland Security in April, had said in past radio appearances that the black community was responsible for turning major US cities into "slums". He also argued that Islam's only contribution to society was "oil and dead bodies”, CNN reported.

The news of Johnson's resignation was confirmed by Tyler Houlton, Press secretary with the DHS. "Acting Secretary Duke has accepted Rev. Jamie Johnson's resignation as Director of the Center for Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships at DHS. His comments made prior to joining the Department of Homeland Security clearly do not reflect the values of DHS and the administration. The Department thanks him for his recent work assisting disaster victims and the interfaith community," he said.

Johnson, who was appointed with the DHS by Secretary John Kelly, was continuously deployed to disaster-struck areas throughout the country to assist with faith-based outreach and engagement. On behalf of both DHS and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Johnson also spoke at several conferences, churches, and schools across America, according to FEMA’s official page.

His derogatory comments about black people that recently resurfaced were made on a show called “The Right Balance,” on Accent Radio Network, Washington Post reported. According to a recording that was posted by CNN, Johnson said, “It’s an indictment of America’s black community that has turned America’s major cities into slums because of laziness, drug use, and sexual promiscuity.”

On another AM radio show, “Mickelson in the Morning,” in Iowa, Johnson had slammed the Islamic community. “I never call it radical Islam, if anything, it is obedient Islam. It is faithful Islam,” CNN reported.

He also added that he agreed with conservative author Dinesh D’Souza that “all that Islam has ever given us is oil and dead bodies over the last millennia and a half.”

Johnson, before handing in his resignation, said in a statement to CNN that he regretted the comments he had made in the past. He also clarified that his remarks in no way reflect his professional or personal point of view.

“I have and will continue to work with leaders and members of all faiths as we jointly look to strengthen our safety and security as an interfaith community. Having witnessed leaders from the entire faith spectrum work to empower their communities, I now see things much differently,” he said.

Before joining the DHS, Johnson worked in international humanitarian relief, providing people with water, clothing, medicines, and food, helping those struck by famine, poverty and natural disaster.

According to FEMA’s official page, Johnson holds a B.A. in theology from Bethany Global University and an M.A. in public policy from Regent University School of Government. He has been married for 30 years and has six children.

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