WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is reassigning at least half the top leadership at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices across the nation. This change represents a significant shift in the leadership responsible for enforcing the president's plans for mass deportations.
According to unnamed officials, 12 ICE field office directors are being reassigned as part of this overhaul. Half will be replaced by current or retired staff from Customs and Border Protection (CBP), with the other half coming from within ICE itself. Additionally, leaders in four other cities will also be swapped out due to retirements or other reasons, impacting major immigration enforcement targets such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington.
The reasoning behind these personnel changes has not been clarified, but they suggest a growing integration of Border Patrol agents into ICE operations, especially in cities where aggressive immigration enforcement tactics have drawn criticism.
With ICE managing a total of 25 field offices nationwide, these reassignments essentially represent a turnover of over half of the top officers executing the administration's stringent immigration policies. This has led to a significant increase in law enforcement activity in major cities, inciting fears within immigrant communities.
While both the Department of Homeland Security and the White House did not provide comments regarding the reassignments, they emphasized their unified approach to immigration enforcement. The integration of CBP officers within ICE positions may further enhance the aggressive tactics employed by immigration enforcement in areas previously criticized for heavy-handed approaches.
This restructuring follows previous leadership changes at ICE since President Trump took office, including the reassignment of the acting director and the heads of several branches within the agency earlier this year.
As the administration continues to execute its immigration enforcement strategies, it emphasizes its commitment to removing criminal elements from the country, showcasing a firm stance on immigration policy amid ongoing national debates.
