President Donald Trump on Saturday nominated Lance Schroyer, a former Oklahoma state trooper, to serve as the next director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, keeping Tom Homan in his role as White House border czar. The move splits immigration enforcement leadership between a Senate-confirmed agency head and a White House official overseeing broader deportation strategy.
Schroyer brings nearly 30 years of law enforcement experience, including service as a U.S. Marine and work leading partnerships between local law enforcement and ICE under the 287(g) program, which allows state and local agencies to enforce federal immigration law. Trump called Schroyer “a PATRIOT with real operational experience” in a post on Truth Social, urging the Senate to “CONFIRM Lance, IMMEDIATELY.”
The nomination comes as ICE has expanded workplace raids and interior enforcement operations, increasingly relying on state and local law enforcement through 287(g) agreements rather than the flashy enforcement tactics championed by former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in earlier months. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, a former Oklahoma senator, praised Schroyer’s “operational field” background, saying his experience would help ICE “target, arrest, and deport illegal aliens.”
Schroyer would replace acting ICE director David Venturella, who has led the agency since June 1, 2026, following the retirement of Todd Lyons. Venturella, a close ally of border czar Homan, will remain as acting director until Schroyer is confirmed by the Senate. If confirmed, Schroyer would become the first Senate-confirmed ICE director since Sarah Saldaña in 2014, ending an 11-year stretch in which the agency operated under acting leadership.
The dual structure reflects Trump’s approach to immigration enforcement: Homan, designated as border czar in November 2024, operates from the White House and oversees the broader deportation campaign across multiple agencies, while the ICE director manages day-to-day operations of the immigration enforcement agency itself. Homan has maintained a high-profile role, directing enforcement surges in cities like Minneapolis and New York, and negotiating agreements with local and state officials on immigration operations. The border czar position is not a Senate-confirmed role and sits outside the formal agency structure, allowing Homan to coordinate policy without Senate confirmation requirements.
Sources
- Politico — Schroyer’s nomination, background, 287(g) program leadership, Venturella’s tenure, 11-year gap since last confirmed director
- CNN — Trump’s nomination announcement and Schroyer’s background
- PBS NewsHour — Schroyer’s credentials and Trump’s statement
- NPR — Tom Homan’s role as border czar and mass deportation campaign
- Wikipedia — Tom Homan’s designation as border czar in November 2024
