President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he is nominating longtime Oklahoma law enforcement officer and Marine veteran Lance Schroyer to serve as the next director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), placing another ally with deep state and local law enforcement experience at the center of his administration’s immigration agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised Schroyer’s nearly three decades in law enforcement and described him as a leader prepared to carry out the administration’s aggressive deportation strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n“Lance has over 29 YEARS of Law Enforcement experience in Oklahoma,” Trump wrote. “He is a PATRIOT with real operational experience, and proven leader with DECADES of experience locking up the worst of the worst.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The president also highlighted Schroyer’s background as a former Oklahoma state trooper and U.S. Marine, adding that he has “firsthand experience getting Illegal Aliens OFF our streets.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump urged the Senate to act quickly on the nomination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n“The Senate must confirm Lance Schroyer IMMEDIATELY. Do not delay,” the president wrote. “Together, we will MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
If confirmed, Schroyer would become the first Senate-confirmed ICE director in nearly a decade. The agency has operated under a series of acting leaders since 2017, reflecting years of political battles over immigration enforcement and the role of the agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Schroyer most recently worked with the Department of Homeland Security on expanding ICE’s 287(g) program, which allows state and local law enforcement agencies to partner with the federal government on immigration enforcement. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Schroyer comes “straight from the operational field,” where he led large-scale enforcement operations alongside state and federal agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mullin quickly endorsed Trump’s selection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n“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 on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It has been 11 years since @DHSgov has had a Senate confirmed @ICEgov Director. The Senate must quickly confirm Lance Schroyer.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Schroyer would replace acting leadership that has overseen ICE during one of the agency’s busiest periods in recent history. David Venturella has served as acting director since Todd Lyons stepped down earlier this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The nomination comes as immigration remains one of Trump’s signature issues. The administration has made mass deportations, expanded ICE partnerships with local law enforcement and increased daily immigration arrests central pillars of its second-term agenda. Trump claimed Saturday that his administration has achieved the highest daily arrest rates by ICE and Customs and Border Protection of any presidency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n