Trump Administration Reassigns Top ICE Officials Amid Deportation Drive
Trump Administration Launches Major Shake-Up at ICE Amid Frustration Over Arrest and Deportation Rates
The Trump administration is carrying out a sweeping leadership overhaul at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), reassigning top officials across the country as part of a broader effort to toughen immigration enforcement and increase deportations, according to multiple sources familiar with the plan.
Two U.S. officials told CBS News that up to a dozen ICE field office leaders could be reassigned, with several positions expected to be filled by current or former Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials. The restructuring could affect nearly half of ICE’s 25 field offices, marking one of the largest leadership shake-ups at the agency in years.
The sources emphasized that the reassignments are not demotions or firings but rather part of an internal strategy to strengthen operations. “It’s a way to give certain ICE offices additional support and align them with the administration’s immigration priorities,” one official said.
The shake-up reflects growing White House frustration over the agency’s arrest and deportation numbers, which have failed to reach the ambitious daily targets set by senior administration officials.
Increased Role of Border Patrol and Political Backlash
In recent months, the Trump administration has relied heavily on Border Patrol agents to supplement ICE operations in Democratic-led cities such as Los Angeles and Chicago. These agents, often in green uniforms, have conducted raids in Home Depot parking lots, car washes, and other worksites, aiming to apprehend undocumented immigrants.
However, these actions have sparked public backlash and criticism from local leaders, who accuse the administration of using aggressive tactics and targeting immigrants without criminal records. “We’re arresting criminals, while they are going to Home Depots and car washes,” one ICE official told CBS News, highlighting internal tensions between ICE and Border Patrol personnel.
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White House Response
Despite the internal reshuffling, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has publicly downplayed the changes. Spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin stated, “While we have no personnel changes to announce at this time, the Trump Administration remains laser-focused on delivering results and removing violent criminal illegal aliens from this country.”
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson added, “The President’s entire team is working in lockstep to implement his policy agenda, and the tremendous results from securing the border to deporting criminal illegal aliens, speak for themselves.”
Arrest Targets and ICE’s Performance
The White House immigration advisor Stephen Miller, a key architect of Trump’s immigration policies, has pushed for ICE to carry out “a minimum of 3,000 arrests per day.” However, the agency has struggled to reach that figure. Internal data obtained by CBS News shows that ICE averaged about 900 arrests per day, totaling over 260,000 arrests during the second Trump administration.
While ICE continues to prioritize detaining and deporting individuals with criminal backgrounds, the administration has widened its net, allowing for the arrest of anyone found to be in the U.S. illegally.
Leadership Turnover at ICE
This shake-up is only the latest in a series of leadership changes within the agency. Earlier this year, Caleb Vitello, the first ICE chief under Trump’s second term, was reassigned and replaced by veteran official Todd Lyons, who currently serves as acting director. The heads of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) divisions have also been replaced in recent months.
Analysts say these rapid transitions underscore the administration’s determination to tighten control over immigration policy and push for higher deportation figures, a cornerstone of Trump’s second-term agenda.
