Trump nominates Lance Schroyer to lead ICE

President Trump has nominated Lance Schroyer, a former Oklahoma state trooper and U.S. Marine, to lead U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, seeking to install the agency’s first Senate-confirmed director since 2017.

Trump announced the pick Saturday on Truth Social, pointing to Schroyer’s 29 years in law enforcement in Oklahoma and his work with immigration enforcement partnerships. ICE, a key agency in Trump’s deportation effort, has been led for years by acting directors.

“He is a PATRIOT with real operational experience, and proven leader with DECADES of experience locking up the worst of the worst, including spearheading 287g Law Enforcement partnerships with ICE!” Trump wrote, according to CBS News.

In a separate Truth Social post quoted by Al Jazeera, Trump said Schroyer “LOVES the men and women of ICE” and has “what it takes to DETAIN AND DEPORT Illegal Alien Criminals, including murders [sic], rapists, and drug traffickers at a rate never seen before!”

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin also urged quick Senate action, saying Schroyer had worked directly with state and federal partners on immigration enforcement in Oklahoma.

“Lance is coming straight from the operational field where he ran large scale operations and worked alongside state and federal partners to remove illegal aliens from Oklahoma under the 287g program,” Mullin wrote on social media. “President Trump made a great pick, and I’m confident Lance’s strong leadership and firsthand experience will empower the men and women of ICE to deport criminal illegal aliens, secure the homeland, and protect the American people.”

The 287(g) program, referenced by both Trump and Mullin, allows ICE to authorize state and local law enforcement officers to carry out certain immigration duties under federal supervision. Immigration enforcement is primarily a federal responsibility, but the program operates under Section 287 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Schroyer’s nomination now heads to Congress, where Al Jazeera reported his lack of experience leading a federal agency is likely to draw scrutiny during confirmation proceedings. Trump and Mullin said his law enforcement background qualifies him for the role.

If confirmed, Schroyer would replace acting ICE Director David Venturella. CBS News reported Venturella has served as interim ICE chief since June 1, while Al Jazeera reported he has held the role since May. Venturella took over after Todd Lyons announced in April that he would leave the agency. Al Jazeera reported Lyons said he wanted to “spend more time with [his] family.”

Lyons had helped lead Trump’s deportation crackdown for more than a year, CBS News reported. Al Jazeera reported his departure came as ICE faced scrutiny over tactics, including allegations of excessive force and civil liberties violations.

Al Jazeera cited several incidents that drew criticism, including a January ICE operation in Minnesota called Operation Metro Surge that resulted in the shooting death of Renee Nicole Good. The outlet also reported that federal immigration agents allegedly broke down the door of a Minnesota home without a warrant and wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Chongly Scott Thao, and that an ICE agent was arrested after the nonfatal shooting of Venezuelan immigrant Julio Sosa-Celis. Lyons said the agent appeared to make “untruthful statements” and opened a probe, according to Al Jazeera.

ICE has not had a Senate-confirmed director since Sarah Saldaña, an appointee of President Barack Obama, left the post in 2017. CBS News reported the agency has had about a dozen acting directors since then. Mullin said the Senate should “quickly confirm Lance Schroyer,” and Trump wrote, “The Senate must CONFIRM Lance, IMMEDIATELY — Do not delay.”