Todd Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is set to leave the agency in June, two U.S. officials familiar with the matter told CBS News. Lyons, a two-decade ICE veteran, informed colleagues that he plans to depart in order to spend more time with his family in Massachusetts and is expected to enter the private sector after leaving the federal government.
Lyons’ departure will mark the end of his role leading ICE at a critical time for the agency, which has been central to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts targeting the deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants nationwide. Serving as acting ICE director since March 2025, Lyons’ exit will open a leadership gap in an agency that has lacked a Senate-confirmed director since early 2017.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who was confirmed last month and succeeded former Secretary Kristi Noem, will face the challenge of appointing Lyons’ successor. In a statement confirming Lyons’ planned departure, Mullin said May 31 would be his last official day and praised Lyons for his leadership in the agency’s enforcement efforts.
“Director Lyons has been a great leader of ICE and key player in helping the Trump administration remove murderers, rapists, pedophiles, terrorists, and gang members from American communities,” Mullin said. “He jumpstarted an agency that had not been allowed to do its job for four years. Thanks to his leadership, American communities are safer.” White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller also lauded Lyons as “a phenomenal patriot and dedicated leader” central to the administration’s immigration policies.
Lyons’ career at ICE began in 2007 as an agent in Dallas. He later served as field office director for the Boston region covering New England and held senior roles at ICE headquarters, including assistant director for field operations in Enforcement and Removal Operations. Lyons was recognized for publicly supporting President Trump’s immigration crackdown, though he reportedly disagreed internally with some policy implementations, such as the approach taken by Kristi Noem to elevate Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino for citywide deportation raids.
Under Lyons, ICE intensified recruitment and hiring, supported by $75 billion allocated through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, to bolster deportation enforcement capacity. His tenure also saw controversy, including a 2025 memo permitting ICE agents to enter homes without judicial warrants under certain circumstances, a significant departure from previous agency policy.
The agency has faced sustained criticism and political pressure from Democrats and advocacy groups, who argue ICE’s practices are excessively harsh and inhumane. Congressional funding debates tied to demands for ICE reforms have contributed to partial government shutdowns in recent months.
Why it matters
Lyons’ departure comes at a politically sensitive moment for ICE, an agency at the center of heated national debates over immigration enforcement policies. His resignation poses questions about the future direction of ICE leadership amid ongoing calls for reform and scrutiny from lawmakers regarding its operational tactics. Secretary Mullin’s choice of a new head will signal the administration’s stance on balancing enforcement priorities with public and congressional concerns.
Background
ICE has operated for nearly a decade without a Senate-confirmed director, relying on acting leaders to guide the agency. Its high-profile role in President Trump’s deportation strategy has made ICE a focal point of immigration policy battles. Internal disagreements during Lyons’ term and controversial enforcement actions—including operations in Minneapolis and new enforcement policies—reflect the complex challenges ICE faces balancing aggressive immigration enforcement with political backlash and legal scrutiny.
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