Trump Administration Ousts Five Senior ICE Officials
In a significant personnel shift, the Trump administration has reassigned senior officials within the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in five major U.S. cities. The reorganization is reportedly due to lower-than-expected deportation numbers. Affected locations include Denver, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and San Diego.
Details of the Reassignment
The changes were first reported by the Washington Examiner and involved the removal of top ICE leaders. Those reassigned include:
- Denver Field Office Director: Robert Guadian
- San Diego Field Office Director: Patrick Divver
- Phoenix Field Office Director: John Cantu
- Los Angeles Field Office Director: Ernesto Santacruz
- Philadelphia Acting Field Office Director: Brian McShane
According to sources, these moves may not be final, signaling a larger shakeup within the agency. One official indicated that further changes could be on the horizon.
Internal Resistance and Future Plans
Despite the administration’s desire to terminate the five leaders, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons intervened, suggesting they be moved to headquarters instead. This intervention reflects differing views on leadership styles within ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Motivations Behind the Reassessments
There appears to be dissatisfaction with ICE’s performance in deportations. Reports suggest that Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino is influencing the direction of ICE, with an emphasis on enhancing their operations. Bovino has led significant immigration enforcement actions in cities like Los Angeles and Chicago.
Deportation Goals and Expectations
The administration is reportedly aiming for higher deportation rates. Although ICE has been recording over 1,000 arrests daily, the target goal set by the White House is 3,000 deportations per day—an objective that has not yet been achieved.
Officials within DHS express concern that focusing solely on numbers without proper prioritization may undermine effective enforcement. These dynamics raise questions about how the agency will meet its ambitious goals while maintaining operational efficiency.
As the situation develops, it remains to be seen how these changes will affect the agency’s overall performance and deportation strategies moving forward.
