Trump Withdraws Nomination for ICE Director
The president pulled the nomination of Lance Schroyer after Sen. Rand Paul blocked a confirmation hearing.
President Donald Trump has withdrawn his nomination of Lance Schroyer to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), after Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky blocked a confirmation hearing.
Trump had tapped Schroyer, a former Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper, to head the agency in June. At the time, Trump described Schroyer as a "PATRIOT with real operational experience, and proven leader with DECADES of experience locking up the worst of the worst," and stated that he would play a "vital role" in the administration’s immigration crackdown.
The White House did not provide an explanation for the decision to withdraw the nomination, and it did not immediately respond to requests for further information. Schroyer's selection had been somewhat unexpected, as he lacked experience leading a law enforcement agency. He was closely associated with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, whose department oversees ICE. Schroyer had previously served on Mullin’s security detail and was later appointed a senior DHS advisor by the secretary.
In his role with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Schroyer assisted in training troopers and enforcing immigration laws in coordination with ICE. He was also deputized last year to make federal immigration arrests.
Paul, who chairs the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, had announced in August that he would delay Schroyer’s confirmation hearing. Paul stated he required further information from the Department of Homeland Security regarding investigations into the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis earlier this year. These shootings had become a significant point of contention in Trump's immigration enforcement efforts.
ICE has been without a Senate-confirmed director since 2017. Schroyer’s nomination followed the departure of former acting ICE Director Todd Lyon at the end of May. David Venturella, a veteran immigration official, has been leading ICE in an acting capacity since June 1.