Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons will step down from his role at the end of May, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed on Thursday.
Lyons has led ICE since March 2025 and will officially leave his post on May 31, according to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. In a statement, Mullin thanked Lyons for his service and said he is expected to transition to opportunities in the private sector.
Mullins said, “Thanks to his leadership, American communities are safer.”
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Turbulent tenure amid aggressive enforcement
Lyons assumed leadership of ICE during a major policy shift aimed at ramping up deportations and tightening border enforcement.
His appointment came after internal reshuffles driven by dissatisfaction within the administration over immigrant arrest and deportation numbers.
In March 2025, Lyons was named acting director by President Donald Trump, replacing Caleb Vitello, who had been reassigned. After dismissing Kristi Noem last month, he appointed Mullin, a political ally and U.S. senator from Oklahoma. On March 23, Mullin was confirmed by the Senate.
During his tenure, ICE significantly expanded enforcement operations, with reports indicating hundreds of thousands of deportations carried out since Trump returned to office in 2025.
During a February congressional hearing, Lyons stated that ICE detained over 475,000 individuals and made 379,000 arrests in the first year of the Trump administration.
Tom Homan, the White House border czar, stated on Thursday that “ICE achieved a record number of removals in the first year of this Administration, despite unprecedented challenges” under Lyons’ direction. According to NBC News, Homan said, “I commend him for a distinguished law enforcement career and the countless contributions he has made to protect our country and advance its interests.”
During the hearing, Lyons was also unwilling to provide an apology for the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two American citizens who were shot in different instances by ICE agents in Minneapolis in January.
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DHS staffing shortages and backlash
Lyons’ departure comes at a time when the DHS is facing operational challenges in terms of staffing shortages and funding uncertainty.
According to the Washington Post, DHS has also been suffering repercussions and fallout from the incidents with ICE agents and has faced multiple protests and calls for reform.
Moreover, the Politico also reported on Lyon’s weak health and multiple hospitalizations in recent months while striving to implement the immigration agenda of the Trump administration. However, Fox News reported that the White House refuted the Politico report as “trash.”
While DHS has not yet announced a successor, Lyons is expected to remain in his role through the end of May to ensure a smooth transition.