Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons to Leave Agency in May

Todd Lyons, the acting head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is set to leave the agency on May 31, according to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. Lyons has led ICE through a period marked by aggressive immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration, including controversial mass deportation operations targeting cities governed by Democrats.

Lyons, a two-decade ICE veteran and former Air Force serviceman, joined the agency in 2007 and rose through the ranks to become acting director in March 2025. He has overseen a significant increase in deportation efforts, with ICE making 379,000 arrests and removing over 475,000 people during the first year of the Trump administration, as he testified at a congressional hearing in February.

Despite the agency’s expanded enforcement, Lyons faced criticism over operations that led to the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis earlier this year. Lyons declined to apologize for these incidents during the hearing. The Minneapolis operations, which sparked bipartisan backlash, resulted in the removal of Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino from command and the deployment of Homeland Security official Tom Homan to wind down the efforts.

Lyons has been described by officials as a committed leader who prioritized targeting immigrants with criminal histories, a traditional focus for ICE, while allowing agents broad discretion to arrest individuals in the country illegally. Under his leadership, ICE also pursued a large recruitment drive funded by $75 billion from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and authorized agents to enter homes without judicial warrants in certain cases, a departure from previous agency policy.

Secretary Mullin praised Lyons, stating, “Director Lyons has been a great leader of ICE and key player in helping the Trump administration remove murderers, rapists, pedophiles, terrorists, and gang members from American communities. He jumpstarted an agency that had not been allowed to do its job for four years. Thanks to his leadership, American communities are safer.” Mullin also wished Lyons luck in his next role in the private sector but did not specify who would succeed him.

White House officials echoed similar sentiments. Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff, called Lyons “a phenomenal patriot and dedicated leader who has been at the center of President Trump’s historic efforts to secure our homeland and reverse the Democrats’ sinister border invasion.” Tom Homan commended Lyons for his “distinguished law enforcement career and the countless contributions he has made to protect our country and advance its interests.”

Lyons plans to leave ICE to spend more time with his family in Massachusetts and is expected to transition to the private sector. His departure leaves a leadership gap at an agency that has been without a Senate-confirmed director since early 2017 and has frequently operated under acting leadership. The decision to appoint a successor will be one of the first major tasks for Mullin, who was confirmed as Homeland Security Secretary last month after President Trump removed Kristi Noem amid concerns over her leadership and the backlash to ICE’s enforcement tactics.