FILE – Todd Lyons, senior official performing the duties of the director at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, listens throughout a Senate Homeland Committee listening to on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 12, 2026.
Tom Brenner/AP
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Tom Brenner/AP
WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement performing director Todd Lyons, a key executor of President Donald Trump’s mass deportations agenda, will resign on the finish of Could, federal officers introduced Thursday.
Homeland Safety Secretary Markwayne Mullin introduced Lyons’ departure, calling him a terrific chief of ICE who helped to make American communities safer. Mullin mentioned Lyons’ final day shall be Could 31.
“We want him luck on his subsequent alternative within the non-public sector,” Mullin mentioned in a press release. The Division of Homeland Safety didn’t instantly reply to an e-mail from The Related Press asking why he’s resigning.
Lyons, who was named performing director in March 2025, led the company on the middle of President Donald Trump’s plans to reshape immigration to the U.S.
Underneath his management, the company was granted an enormous infusion of money by way of Congress, which it used to develop hiring and detention capabilities, and it ramped up arrests to satisfy demand from the administration.
ICE was additionally central to a sequence of high-profile immigration enforcement operations in American cities, together with Chicago and Minneapolis, a deployment that ended after backlash erupted over the deaths of two American protesters by the hands of federal immigration officers.
Stephen Miller, the president’s deputy chief of employees and the principle architect of his immigration coverage, known as Lyons a “devoted chief.”
“His brave work at ICE has saved numerous hundreds of American lives and helped ship security and tranquility to thousands and thousands of People,” Miller mentioned in a press release.
White Home spokesperson Abigail Jackson described Lyons in a publish on X as “an American patriot who made our nation safer.”
It isn’t clear who may change Lyons. However whoever does will take over an company flush with money whereas nonetheless a flashpoint for controversy. ICE is on the middle of a battle in Congress, with Democratic lawmakers demanding restraints on immigration officers earlier than agreeing to revive routine funding for DHS.
On Thursday, Lyons, together with two different high immigration officers, appeared earlier than a Home subcommittee to argue for his company’s price range and confronted continued scrutiny from lawmakers of ICE’s actions.
Lyons’ departure additionally comes as DHS is underneath new management after Trump fired former Secretary Kristi Noem, who led the division by way of the administration’s main immigration coverage adjustments.
Mullin, who took over as secretary final month, is prone to proceed to advance the president’s agenda however has struck a softer tone on a number of the administration’s most contentious insurance policies.
Public perceptions of ICE throughout Lyons’ tenure had been low. In a February AP-NORC ballot, most U.S. adults, together with independents, mentioned they’ve an unfavorable view of the company.
Lyons confronted questions in Congress over the taking pictures deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti and was requested if he would apologize for the way in which some Trump administration officers characterised Good as an agitator. He declined to take action.
“I welcome the chance to talk to the household in non-public. However I am not going to touch upon any energetic investigation,” Lyons mentioned.
Lyons mentioned he had seen video that captured Pretti’s taking pictures however mentioned he couldn’t remark, citing an energetic investigation.
Lyons, who joined ICE in 2007 as an immigration enforcement agent in Texas, signed off on a memo, first obtained by The Related Press, that granted federal immigration officers sweeping powers to forcibly enter properties and make arrests and not using a decide’s warrant.
Trump’s border czar Tom Homan described Lyons as serving selflessly and “a extremely revered and efficient performing Director of ICE.”
