David Venturella Named Interim Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

David Venturella, a longtime immigration official, has been selected to lead U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the departure of acting director Todd Lyons, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed Tuesday. Lyons, who was never confirmed by the Senate, oversaw ICE during a period marked by aggressive immigration crackdowns and public backlash after the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis. His last day was May 31.

Venturella, who has served under both Republican and Democratic administrations, previously directed ICE’s Secure Communities program, which shares digital fingerprints of individuals booked into local jails with federal authorities to identify those in the country without authorization. The program was ended in 2014 by then-DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, who said it alienated immigrant communities from local law enforcement. However, President Donald Trump reinstated Secure Communities in 2017 through an executive order.

Before rejoining ICE last year, Venturella worked at GEO Group, a major private prison company operating immigration detention centers across the United States. He also has experience with the now-defunct Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Venturella is considered an ally of Tom Homan, the White House border czar, who recently described ICE’s enforcement strategy as more “targeted,” focusing on individuals who have committed crimes in addition to being in the country illegally.

In a 2005 Senate Judiciary Committee testimony, Venturella acknowledged his immigrant background, stating, “I understand why so many people have risked their lives, leaving their families, homes, and everything they know to come to the United States.” He also emphasized the importance of law enforcement, saying, “Without strict and fair enforcement of our immigration statutes, our country will remain vulnerable to the threats that arise from individuals who willingly exploit gaps in our immigration system.”