The White House announced the withdrawal of Lance Schroyer’s nomination to serve as director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday. Schroyer, a former Oklahoma state trooper, had been put forward for the role in June by President Trump, who characterized him as having extensive operational experience. The nomination process stalled in the Senate after Republican Senator Rand Paul, who chairs the homeland security and governmental affairs committee, did not schedule a confirmation hearing.
Critics had questioned Schroyer’s qualifications for the position given his lack of formal experience within ICE. Some Department of Homeland Security officials expressed reservations about his appointment, according to reporting from earlier in the year. Schroyer’s background includes serving on the security detail of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin when Mullin was in the Senate, and he has since worked as an adviser to the secretary. The White House did not provide an explanation for the withdrawal in its announcement.
ICE has operated without a Senate-confirmed director since 2017, relying instead on acting directors. The agency has faced significant scrutiny during the current administration due to expanded enforcement operations targeting immigrants. Recent controversies included videos of officers conducting sweeps in cities nationwide and the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens during ICE operations in Minnesota earlier this year. Acting director Todd Lyons departed the position in May following criticism over the agency’s aggressive tactics and his response to those fatal incidents.
The administration has reportedly adjusted its immigration enforcement approach in response to public backlash, reducing the visible profile of operations. It remains unclear whether the Trump administration intends to nominate another candidate for the ICE director position immediately or who that candidate might be.
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