ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons to Exit After Leading Trump Deportation Drive

Mintesinot Nigussie

Todd Lyons, the acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, will leave the agency at the end of May, concluding a tenure that coincided with an expanded deportation push under President Donald Trump’s administration. Lyons was appointed acting ICE director in March 2025 and has spent nearly two decades working within the federal immigration enforcement system.

During his leadership, ICE carried out hundreds of thousands of deportations as immigration enforcement became a central component of Trump’s policy agenda. The agency, which has a workforce of more than 27,400, has faced sustained political scrutiny over its enforcement operations.

A successor has not yet been announced. Mullin, who was confirmed as Homeland Security Secretary last month, is expected to oversee the selection process. Trump appointed him in March to manage immigration enforcement, border security and airport security.

In a statement, Mullin described Lyons as a “key player” in advancing the administration’s immigration enforcement strategy. White House border adviser Tom Homan also praised Lyons, saying ICE achieved a record number of removals in the first year of the administration despite “unprecedented challenges.”

Lyons appeared before Congress in February, where he defended the administration’s immigration policy and warned against efforts to intimidate federal agents. “Let me send a message to anyone who thinks they can intimidate us. You will fail,” he told lawmakers.

Overall, Todd Lyons’ departure from ICE marks the end of a high-profile tenure focused on expanding deportation operations under the Trump administration.