Trump nominates Oklahoma trooper as ICE chief, sparking internal dissent
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President Donald Trump nominated former Oklahoma state trooper Richard “Lance” Schroyer to lead ICE, prompting criticism from agency officials and concerns about potential retirements among senior staff.
President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he is nominating Richard "Lance" Schroyer, a former Oklahoma highway patrol officer and ex-Marine, to serve as the director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Schroyer, who has not previously held a senior management role, would become the agency’s first leader without Senate confirmation since the Obama administration.
According to multiple sources familiar with internal reactions, the nomination has been met with strong opposition from ICE personnel. One senior official described the response as an "open revolt," noting that both rank-and-file agents and senior leaders expressed dissatisfaction with Schroyer’s lack of experience in managing a large budget and overseeing immigration enforcement programs such as the 287(g) partnership.
The move is also seen as a shift in influence within the administration. Insiders said that Stephen Miller and Acting ICE Director Tom Homan, who have previously guided ICE leadership decisions, were not consulted and appear to be losing leverage. One source said Miller’s “power is on the slide,” while another suggested Homan “is losing some power.”
Trump has previously floated the idea of renaming ICE to "NICE," a proposal that Homan reportedly opposed. In a post on his social platform, Trump referenced Homan’s reaction to the name-change suggestion.
White House officials told reporters that the president has “full faith and confidence” in both Homan and Miller, and that Miller was aware of and supportive of the nomination process.
The Department of Homeland Security and ICE did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication.