Trump Nominates Lance Schroyer for ICE Director

President Donald Trump announced on Saturday his decision to nominate Lance Schroyer as the new director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Schroyer, a former Oklahoma state trooper and U.S. Marine, received praise from Trump as a patriot with extensive operational experience. Trump emphasized Schroyer’s leadership credentials, highlighting his decades of experience in law enforcement.

Schroyer shares his home state with Markwayne Mullin, the newly appointed Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Mullin introduced Schroyer at a National Sheriffs’ Association event earlier this month, referring to him as a close friend and noting his recent employment with the DHS.

Mullin commended Trump’s selection of Schroyer in a statement that underscored Schroyer’s 29-year career and collaborative work with federal and state agencies on U.S. immigration. Mullin expressed confidence in Schroyer’s leadership and firsthand experience to advance ICE’s mission to deport criminal illegal aliens, secure national borders, and safeguard the American public.

If the Senate confirms Schroyer, he will take charge of ICE during a period of public dissatisfaction with Trump’s stringent immigration enforcement policies. This crackdown has led to increased federal immigration raids in U.S. cities, causing heightened tensions and confrontations between authorities and demonstrators, including fatal incidents in Minneapolis earlier this year.

ICE has been pivotal in executing Trump’s promise of widespread deportations. The agency is experiencing significant expansion due to a $75 billion funding injection last year, which has enabled the hiring of 12,000 officers and expanded detention facilities. Despite his softer approach to immigration, Mullin aims to align with Trump’s deportation priorities while maintaining a lower profile for his department.

Former ICE official Claire Trickler-McNulty noted the rarity of non-attorney nominations for confirmed ICE directors, although some candidates have emerged from state and local law enforcement backgrounds. She suggested Mullin’s influence was likely a factor in Schroyer’s nomination.

John Torres, another senior ICE official, remarked on Schroyer’s potential path to Senate confirmation, citing his experience at state and local levels as an advantage. He mentioned that Schroyer lacks affiliations with previous administrations, which could play in his favor.

Schroyer’s nomination follows the resignation of former ICE director Todd Lyons at the end of May. David Venturella, an ex-executive at a private prison operator, currently serves as the agency’s acting head. Venturella is expected to continue in the role until Schroyer secures Senate approval.

Since the Obama administration, ICE has not had a Senate-confirmed director, largely due to the contentious political climate surrounding immigration and homeland security policies.

Associated Press writers Elliot Spagat and Rebecca Santana contributed to this report.