Trump nominates Oklahoma law enforcement veteran Lance Schroyer to lead ICE as permanent director

President Donald Trump announced on Saturday he is nominating Lance Schroyer as the next director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

"Lance has over 29 YEARS of Law Enforcement experience in Oklahoma — A State where I WON all 77 Counties in 2016, 2020, and 2024!" the president wrote on Truth Social.

He added that Schroyer is a former Oklahoma State Trooper, and United States Marine.

"He is a PATRIOT with real operational experience, and proven leader with DECADES of experience locking up the worst of the worst, including spearheading 287g Law Enforcement partnerships with ICE!" Trump continued. "Lance has firsthand experience getting Illegal Aliens OFF our streets and, just like ME and our Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, he LOVES the men and women of ICE."

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He added that Schroyer, "has what it takes to DETAIN AND DEPORT Illegal Alien Criminals, including murders, rapists, and drug traffickers at a rate never seen before! Remember, our Administration has the HIGHEST Daily Arrest Rate by ICE and CBP than ANY other President, by far. It’s not even close! The Senate must CONFIRM Lance, IMMEDIATELY — Do not delay. Together, we will MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN."

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He would replace Acting Director David Venturella.

Venturella succeeded Todd Lyons as acting director earlier this month.

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin called Trump's choice a "great pick."

"Lance will play a vital role in helping deliver on the President’s mandate from the American people to target, arrest, and deport illegal aliens," he wrote on X. "Lance is coming straight from the operational field where he ran large scale operations and worked alongside state and federal partners to remove illegal aliens from Oklahoma under the 287g program."

He added, "I’m confident Lance’s strong leadership and firsthand experience will empower the men and women of ICE to deport criminal illegal aliens, secure the homeland, and protect the American people."

Mullin and Schroyer are both from Oklahoma. Mullin took over for Kristi Noem when she left her post in March.

Noting that it has been 11 years since ICE has had a confirmed director, Mullin also urged the Senate to "quickly confirm Lance Schroyer."

His nomination comes at a tense time for ICE as protests continue in multiple cities following two fatal shootings by ICE in Minneapolis in January.