Acting ICE director Todd Lyons to leave agency

Acting ICE director Todd Lyons to leave agencyJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleSareen HabeshianGetty ImagesTodd Lyons, the acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is planning to leave the agency, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has confirmed."Director Lyons has been a great leader of ICE," Mullin said in a statement on Thursday, adding that he has been a "key player" in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.Lyons, who oversaw hundreds of thousands of deportations, will step away from the role after 31 May to join the private sector.He has worked in the federal agency for nearly two decades, and previously served in the US Air Force and as a police officer.It is not immediately clear who will replace Lyons as head of the law enforcement agency with a workforce of over 27,400 people.Secretary Mullin, who was confirmed last month, will be tasked with finding a replacement. ICE has faced increased scrutiny for its role at the center of Trump's immigration enforcement agenda.The agency has made thousands of arrests since Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, and there have been some high-profile clashes with protesters who oppose ICE's operations.In a statement, border tsar Tom Homan praised Lyon, saying that under his leadership, "ICE achieved a record number of removals in the first year of this Administration, despite unprecedented challenges".US immigrationDonald TrumpUnited States