President Donald Trump announced Saturday his selection of Lance Schroyer, a former Oklahoma state trooper and U.S. Marine, as his nominee for director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Trump described Schroyer on his Truth Social platform as a "PATRIOT" with "decades of experience locking up the worst of the worst" and "real operational experience."
Schroyer's nomination follows the resignation of former ICE director Todd Lyons at the end of May. David Venturella, an executive from a private prison operator, has been serving as the agency's acting head. The White House has not specified if Schroyer would assume acting director duties or if Venturella would continue in the interim role.
If confirmed, Schroyer will lead ICE amid public debate over Trump's immigration policies, which have involved increased federal immigration enforcement in U.S. cities. These operations have led to heightened tensions and, earlier this year, clashes that resulted in the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.
ICE has operated without a Senate-confirmed director since the Obama administration, a situation attributed to the contentious nature of the agency and immigration policy. Schroyer shares a home state with current Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who previously served as a congressman. Mullin issued a statement Saturday endorsing Schroyer, highlighting his 29-year career and work with federal and state partners on immigration enforcement programs.
Trump's platform includes a focus on mass deportations, with ICE playing a key role in executing this agenda. The agency has recently seen significant growth, including a $75 billion allocation last year that supported the hiring of 12,000 officers and expanded detention capacity.
Mullin, who assumed his role in March, has expressed an intention to keep the department from generating negative headlines and has suggested a more moderate approach to immigration, though he is expected to support the president's priorities regarding mass deportations. According to Claire Trickler-McNulty, a former senior ICE official, while many past ICE directors have been attorneys, some have also come from state and local law enforcement backgrounds. She suggested that Schroyer's background might indicate Mullin's influence in the selection process, stating that Mullin likely desires a trusted individual in charge of ICE given the agency's current public profile.