Trump nominates former Oklahoma trooper Lance Schroyer for ICE director

President Donald Trump said on Saturday he will nominate Lance Schroyer, a former Oklahoma state trooper and U.S. Marine with more than 29 years of law-enforcement experience, to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The White House request comes with a call for the Senate to confirm the nominee without delay.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin described Schroyer as a "great pick" and said his "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 added that Schroyer is coming directly from field operations under the 287(g) program, which allows state and local officers to carry out certain immigration enforcement duties under ICE supervision.

The agency has been without a Senate-confirmed director since the Obama administration, with acting director David Venturella currently overseeing ICE after Todd Lyons stepped down earlier this year. Mullin noted that it has been 11 years since a confirmed ICE director has served and urged a swift confirmation process.

ICE, part of the Department of Homeland Security, has been central to the administration’s immigration enforcement strategy. The nomination follows a turbulent period for the agency, including heightened scrutiny of its operations and calls from some lawmakers for reforms to its deployment practices.