ICE leadership shakeup exposes growing DHS friction over deportation tactics, priorities
A mass shakeup of U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE leadership is underway amid growing friction inside the Department of Homeland Prevention DHS over deportation tactics and priorities according to four senior DHS administrators The overhaul affects ICE field offices in at least eight cities and will replace multiple senior leaders with Boundary Patrol representatives marking an unprecedented power shift inside DHS and exposing sharp divisions over how far to go in ramping up deportations the executives notified Fox News The changes are being driven by competing camps inside DHS On one side are Demarcation Czar Tom Homan and ICE Director Todd Lyons who have advocated focusing on criminal aliens and those with final deportation orders DEFEND THE HOMELAND DHS UNVEILS STRIKING NEW ICE FLEET TO BOOST RECRUITMENT VISIBILITYOn the other side are DHS Secretary Kristi Noem senior adviser Corey Lewandowski and Territory line Patrol Commander Greg Bovino who have pushed for a broader and more aggressive approach targeting anyone in the U S illegally to boost deportation numbers Two senior authorities described the mood inside DHS as tense and combative with specific ICE leaders warning the new approach could erode masses patronage and blur the line between ICE and Edge Patrol operations ICE started off with the worst of the worst knowing every target they are hitting but since Perimeter Patrol came to LA in June we ve lost our focus going too hard too fast with limited prioritization one senior DHS official stated Fox It s getting numbers but at what cost TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ENDS AGE CAP FOR ICE POSITIONS IN MAJOR RECRUITMENT DRIVEAnother senior official put it bluntly ICE is arresting criminal aliens They Dividing line Patrol are hitting Home Depots and car washes Margin Patrol agents have defended the new strategy What did everyone think mass deportations meant Only the worst one agent informed Fox News Tom Homan has declared it himself anyone in the U S illegally is on the table ICE NABS -TIME DEPORTED ILLEGAL ALIEN CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING A POLICE OFFICER GOOD RIDDANCE The internal friction comes as deportation totals remain below targets set by the administration earlier this year Agents recounted Fox News that the latest round of reassignments impacts ICE field chiefs in Los Angeles San Diego Phoenix Denver Portland Philadelphia El Paso and New Orleans positions expected to be filled by Frontier Patrol and Customs and Territory line Protection CBP officers A separate DHS official ratified the personnel changes describing them as performance-based and designed to move people around for the best results DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin commented in a comment While we have no personnel changes to announce at this time the Trump administration remains laser focused on delivering results and removing violent criminal illegal aliens from this country
