The White House has withdrawn the nomination of former Oklahoma state trooper Lance Schroyer to serve as director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The decision comes after criticism of Schroyer’s qualifications and the agency’s lack of a Senate‑confirmed head since the Obama administration.
Schroyer, who served in the Marine Corps from 1992 to 1996 and retired as a major in the Oklahoma State Police, has no federal experience beyond being deputized to make immigration arrests. He is close to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, a former U.S. senator from Oklahoma, and was praised by President Trump in June as a “patriot with real operational experience” and a “proven leader with decades of experience locking up the worst of the worst.”
ICE has been headed by acting director David Venturella since Todd Lyons stepped down earlier this year. DHS officials reportedly opposed Schroyer’s nomination, arguing that Venturella had been running the agency effectively. One unnamed official told Politico that the agency did not need a new director and that criticism should cease.
Schroyer also ran the security detail for Mullin’s residence while he served in the Senate, a friendship that developed during a dinner invitation, according to the Wall Street Journal. Venturella is an ally of White House border czar Tom Homan, and his continued leadership of ICE reflects the administration’s preference for internal continuity over a controversial appointment.
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