Trump nominates Lance Schroyer to serve as ICE director
President Donald Trump has nominated former Oklahoma state trooper Lance Schroyer to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement, citing his 29 years of law enforcement experience and Marine Corps service.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday announced the nomination of Lance Schroyer, a former Oklahoma state trooper and Marine Corps veteran, to serve as director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Trump praised Schroyer's 29-year law enforcement career and his commitment to immigration enforcement.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that Schroyer "has what it takes to DETAIN AND DEPORT Illegal Alien Criminals, including murders, rapists, and drug traffickers at a rate never seen before." Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, also an Oklahoman, highlighted Schroyer's experience with the 287(g) program, which allows ICE to deputize state and local officers.
Schroyer is a newcomer to leading a federal agency, and his qualifications will likely face scrutiny during Senate confirmation hearings. If confirmed, he would replace acting Director David Venturella, who took over in May after Todd Lyons stepped down. Lyons, an ICE veteran since 2007, cited family reasons but left amid intense criticism over ICE tactics, including excessive force and civil liberties violations.
Notable incidents include the fatal shooting of protester Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota, the warrantless detention of U.S. citizen ChongLy Scott Thao, and the non-fatal shooting of Venezuelan immigrant Julio Sosa-Celis, which led to an ICE agent's arrest. Additionally, at least 19 people have died in ICE custody this year, prompting U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk to call for accountability.
Congress delayed funding for ICE and Customs and Border Protection for months this year, with Democrats demanding reforms such as limits on force and independent oversight. The impasse ended on June 9 with party-line votes.
Schroyer would be the first Senate-confirmed ICE director since Sarah Saldaña, an Obama appointee whose term ended in 2017. Mullin urged the Senate to quickly confirm Schroyer, noting the agency has lacked a permanent director for over a decade. Trump echoed the call, saying, "The Senate must CONFIRM Lance, IMMEDIATELY."
