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Trump withdraws ICE director nominee after Senate confirmation stalls

Trump withdraws ICE director nominee after Senate confirmation stalls

Rule Changes

Agency at center of mass deportation push has lacked Senate-confirmed leader since 2017

September 17th, 2026: White House withdraws Schroyer nomination

Overview

Updated Sep 18

The White House withdrew Lance Schroyer's nomination to lead U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on September 17, 2026. The former Oklahoma state trooper's confirmation stalled after Republican Senator Rand Paul blocked a hearing over fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis.

The withdrawal leaves ICE, the agency executing President Trump's mass deportation campaign, without a Senate-confirmed director for the ninth straight year. David Venturella, a former private prison executive, continues as acting director.

Why it matters

The agency running the administration's mass deportation push will keep operating under acting leadership, with no Senate-confirmed director accountable to Congress.

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Key Indicators

9 years
Years since ICE had a Senate-confirmed director
ICE has not had a confirmed director since 2017, operating under a series of acting leaders.
51,000
ICE arrests in August 2026
Highest monthly arrest total of Trump's second administration, per Al Jazeera.
2
U.S. citizens fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis
The January 2026 shootings that prompted Rand Paul to block Schroyer's confirmation.

Voices

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People Involved

Lance Schroyer
Lance Schroyer
Former nominee for ICE director
Nomination withdrawn September 17, 2026
 Rand Paul
Rand Paul
Chairman, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Blocked Schroyer's confirmation hearing
 Markwayne Mullin
Markwayne Mullin
Secretary of Homeland Security
Schroyer's patron; nomination withdrawn
 David Venturella
David Venturella
Acting ICE director
Serving as acting director since June 1, 2026
 Donald Trump
Donald Trump
President of the United States
Withdrew Schroyer's nomination

Organizations Involved

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Federal law enforcement agency
Without Senate-confirmed director since 2017

Federal agency responsible for immigration enforcement and deportation operations.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Federal agency
Oversees ICE

Cabinet department that houses ICE.
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Congressional committee
Blocked Schroyer's confirmation

Senate committee that oversees DHS and reviews ICE director nominations.

Timeline

2017 September 2026

7 events Latest: September 17th, 2026 · 2 months ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. White House withdraws Schroyer nomination

    Latest Political

    White House issues brief statement withdrawing the nomination without providing a reason.

  2. Rand Paul delays Schroyer confirmation hearing

    Political

    Paul blocks the hearing until DHS provides information about Minneapolis shootings investigations.

  3. David Venturella becomes acting ICE director

    Leadership

    Long-time immigration official David Venturella takes over ICE in an acting capacity.

  4. Trump announces Schroyer nomination

    Nomination

    Trump names former Oklahoma state trooper Lance Schroyer to lead ICE in a Truth Social post.

  5. Todd Lyons departs as acting ICE director

    Leadership

    Lyons announced his departure from the top ICE role in April, effective end of May.

  6. Two U.S. citizens fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis

    Incident

    Federal immigration agents killed two U.S. citizens during enforcement operations, becoming a flashpoint in the immigration crackdown.

  7. ICE's last Senate-confirmed director departs

    Leadership

    ICE has operated under acting directors since 2017, through two administrations.

Scenarios

1

Trump names new ICE nominee who clears Senate

Possible Resolves by Jan 20, 2027

Discussed by: The Washington Post, CNN

Trump could nominate a new candidate with broader Senate support, possibly someone with more federal law enforcement experience. The nominee would need to address Rand Paul's concerns about ICE enforcement practices, including the Minneapolis shootings. Paul has signaled he wants DHS to provide information about the investigations before any confirmation proceeds.

2

ICE continues under acting leadership through 2027

Likely Resolves by Jan 20, 2027

Discussed by: Multiple outlets noting the 2017-2026 pattern

Given that ICE has not had a confirmed director since 2017, the most likely outcome is that the agency continues under acting leadership. David Venturella or another acting official would lead the agency through the rest of Trump's term. This pattern has persisted through two administrations and appears entrenched.

3

Schroyer returns in acting capacity

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Some speculation in news coverage

DHS could appoint Schroyer as acting director despite the failed nomination. This would allow the administration to keep Schroyer in a leadership role without Senate confirmation. Mullin's close relationship with Schroyer makes this a plausible path, though it would likely draw criticism from Paul and Senate Democrats.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

January 2026

Minneapolis shootings (January 2026)

Federal immigration agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during enforcement operations in Minneapolis. The shootings became a major flashpoint in Trump's immigration crackdown and raised questions about ICE training and enforcement practices.

Then

Rand Paul cited the shootings as the reason for blocking Schroyer's confirmation hearing.

Now

The shootings continue to shape the confirmation process and public scrutiny of ICE.

Why this matters now

The shootings are the specific trigger that derailed Schroyer's nomination.

2017-2026

ICE's leadership vacuum since 2017

ICE has not had a Senate-confirmed director since 2017, operating under a series of acting directors through two administrations.

Then

The agency has been led by acting officials, limiting Senate oversight.

Now

The pattern of acting leadership has become the norm for ICE.

Why this matters now

Shows the institutional pattern that the Schroyer withdrawal continues.

2017-2021

First Trump administration's acting officials (2017-2021)

During the first Trump administration, many federal agencies operated with acting leaders due to stalled confirmations, leading to questions about accountability and the functioning of the federal government.

Then

Several agencies went years without confirmed leadership.

Now

The pattern of acting officials became a defining feature of the Trump administration.

Why this matters now

Shows the broader pattern of which the ICE situation is a part.

Sources

(12)
+6
NPR Reuters The Washington Post CNN Bloomberg BBC Time CBS News The Seattle Times Al Jazeera Netscape News BBC