President Donald Trump announced Saturday the nomination of Lance Schroyer to serve as the next director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), tapping a former Oklahoma state trooper and Marine Corps veteran to lead an agency at the center of his administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement agenda.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump praised Schroyer as a “PATRIOT with real operational experience,” highlighting his background in law enforcement and military service. “Lance has firsthand experience getting Illegal Aliens OFF our streets,” the president wrote, adding that Schroyer shares his commitment to ICE personnel and the broader mission of border security.
Trump called on the Senate to confirm Schroyer “IMMEDIATELY,” urging lawmakers not to delay. “Together, we will MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN,” he declared.
The nomination comes at a turbulent time for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE. The agency has been without a Senate-confirmed director since 2017, a gap that has persisted through multiple administrations. Former acting ICE Director Todd Lyons stepped down in April, and David Venturella has been serving as acting director since then.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, tasked with filling the role after Lyons’ departure, endorsed Schroyer’s nomination in a separate social media post. “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,” Mullin wrote. He noted it has been 11 years since DHS had a Senate-confirmed ICE director and urged swift confirmation.
Schroyer is expected to face intense scrutiny over the administration’s large-scale immigration crackdown, which has sparked nationwide protests and calls for reform. Tensions escalated after federal immigration agents fatally shot two individuals in Minneapolis, fueling broader criticism of ICE’s tactics. The agency’s operations have also been hampered by a record 76-day DHS shutdown earlier this year, triggered by a Democratic refusal to approve funding without changes to enforcement practices.
The nomination follows a series of Trump administration moves on immigration, including a push for stricter voter ID laws and the renaming of federal properties. Meanwhile, the president has also engaged in other high-profile actions, such as approving a $700 million arms sale to Turkey and endorsing a candidate in a Louisiana runoff. The Schroyer pick underscores Trump’s continued focus on border security as a core political message heading into the midterm elections.
Schroyer’s background as a state trooper and Marine is likely to appeal to conservative lawmakers and immigration hardliners, but his confirmation prospects remain uncertain in a divided Senate. The agency’s leadership vacuum has been a persistent issue, and Mullin’s call for quick action reflects the administration’s urgency to install a permanent director amid ongoing operational challenges.
