Two senior Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have been reassigned this week in response to increased pressure from the White House to intensify arrests of undocumented immigrants. The officials, Russell Hott and Peter Berg, were moved from their positions within the agency's enforcement division, as confirmed by sources familiar with the situation. Todd Lyons, the current top ICE official in Boston, is set to step in as the acting head of ICE enforcement and removal operations.
According to Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, ICE is in need of a renewed focus on accountability, which has been lacking in recent years. The statement emphasized the expectations of President Donald Trump, DHS Secretary, and the American public for tangible results from ICE leadership.
The strained relationship between the White House and ICE has been escalating, with reports of senior Trump administration officials expressing dissatisfaction with ICE's performance in meeting its objectives. President Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, echoed these sentiments, stating his disappointment with the current number of arrests conducted by immigration authorities in the United States.
Since Trump's inauguration, federal immigration authorities have arrested over 8,000 individuals. Notably, ICE has ceased its practice of daily public reporting on arrest numbers, indicating a shift in transparency and communication within the agency.
