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By Anna Commander and Joshua Rhett Miller
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Todd Lyons, acting head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is leaving his position next month, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed to Newsweek on Thursday.
Mullin's statement read, "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. He jumpstarted an agency that had not been allowed to do its job for four years. Thanks to his leadership, American communities are safer. We wish him luck on his next opportunity in the private sector. His last day is May 31, 2026."
Why It Matters
The Trump administration has faced intense scrutiny regarding immigration policies and ICE deployments into large U.S. cities this year, specifically after two American citizens were fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis in January.
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DHS also recently endured a shake-up after former Secretary Kristi Noem was fired from her position last month.
What To Know
According to The New York Times' review of Lyons' letter to Mullin, he said that he intended to step down to spend more time with his family.
In the letter, Lyons wrote in part, "My sons are both reaching a pivotal point in their lives, and my wife and I wish to spend as much time as possible with them," adding that the decision was difficult but right for his family at this time, according to the Times.
Tom Homan, White House border czar, told Newsweek in an email, "Todd has served selflessly as a highly respected and effective acting Director of ICE. Under his leadership, ICE achieved a record number of removals in the first year of this Administration, despite unprecedented challenges, delivering on the President’s promise to deport illegal aliens who have no right to be in the U.S., especially those that are public safety risks or pose a threat to our national security. I commend him for a distinguished law enforcement career and the countless contributions he has made to protect our country and advance its interests."
Senior White House aide Stephen Miller told Fox News: "Todd is a phenomenal patriot and dedicated leader who has been at the center of President Trump's historic efforts to secure our homeland and reverse the Democrats' sinister border invasion. His courageous work at ICE has saved countless thousands of American lives and helped deliver safety and tranquility to millions of Americans."
Lyons joined ICE in 2007 as an agent in Dallas and rose to executive associate director of enforcement and removal operations before being selected to lead the agency in an acting capacity, the Times notes.
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What Happens Next
An interim or permanent replacement for Lyons has not been publicly revealed by Mullin or DHS.
Update 4/16/26, 10:28 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Update 4/17/26, 3:35 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Stephen Miller.
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