Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

The Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a civilian official in the United States Department of Homeland Security. During July 2010 the position's title was changed from Assistant Secretary for U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Reports to	United States Secretary of Homeland Security
Seat	500 12th Street SW Washington, D.C., U.S.
Appointer	The President with Senate advice and consent
Constituting instrument	6 U.S.C. § 113
Formation	March 11, 2003; 21 years ago (2003-03-11) Prior to July 2010 titled Assistant Secretary
Deputy	Deputy Director
Website	www.ice.gov

The director is in charge of the day-to-day operations of more than 7000 Homeland Security Investigations Agents (HSI) that are the primary investigative component of ICE and 6000 enforcement and removal operations officers (ERO).^[1] ICE is an agency with the United States Department of Homeland Security and the director reports to the United States Secretary of Homeland Security and the United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security.

This position requires Senate confirmation, though an acting director is permitted, and the agency has not had a confirmed Director since January 20, 2017^[update].

The position is currently vacant.

Overview

The director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the chief administrator with enforcement of US immigration laws and criminal investigations of transnational criminal organizations. This mission is executed through the enforcement of more than 400 federal statutes and focuses on immigration enforcement, preventing terrorism and combating the illegal movement of people and goods.^[2]

Officeholders

†- Indicates title of office upon appointment was Assistant Secretary for U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement

No.	Portrait	Deputy Secretary	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party	President
1		Garcia, MichaelMichael J. Garcia†[3] (born 1961)	March 11, 2003	September 5, 2005	2 years, 178 days	Republican	Bush, GeorgeGeorge W. Bush (R)
-		Clark, John P.John P. Clark†[3] Acting	September 6, 2005	January 3, 2006	119 days	Independent	Bush, GeorgeGeorge W. Bush (R)
2		Myers, JulieJulie Myers†[3] (born 1969)	January 4, 2006	November 14, 2008	2 years, 315 days	Republican	Bush, GeorgeGeorge W. Bush (R)
-		Torres, John P.John P. Torres†[5] Acting	November 17, 2008	May 12, 2009	176 days	Independent	Bush, GeorgeGeorge W. Bush (R) Barack Obama (D)
3		Morton, John T.John T. Morton†[6] (born 1966)	May 12, 2009	July 31, 2013	4 years, 111 days	Independent	Obama, BarackBarack Obama (D)
-		Sandweg, JohnJohn Sandweg[8] (born 1975) Acting	August 1, 2013	February 21, 2014	229 days	Democratic	Obama, BarackBarack Obama (D)
-		Winkowski, ThomasThomas S. Winkowski[10] (born 1954) Acting	March 16, 2014	December 23, 2014	282 days	Independent	Obama, BarackBarack Obama (D)
4		Saldaña, SarahSarah Saldaña[12] (born 1951)	December 23, 2014	January 20, 2017	2 years, 28 days	Independent	Obama, BarackBarack Obama (D)
-		Ragsdale, DanielDaniel Ragsdale[14] Acting	January 20, 2017	January 30, 2017	10 days	Independent	Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (R)
-		Homan, ThomasTom Homan[16] Acting	January 30, 2017	June 29, 2018	1 year, 150 days	Independent	Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (R)
-		Vitiello, RonaldRonald Vitiello[18] (born 1963) Acting	June 30, 2018	April 12, 2019	256 days	Independent	Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (R)
-		Albence, MatthewMatthew Albence[19] Acting	April 13, 2019	May 27, 2019	44 days	Independent	Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (R)
-		Morgan, Mark A.Mark A. Morgan[21] (born 1950) Acting	May 28, 2019	July 5, 2019	38 days	Independent	Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (R)
-		Albence, MatthewMatthew Albence[19] Acting	July 5, 2019	August 25, 2020	1 year, 51 days	Independent	Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (R)
-		Pham, TonyTony Pham[23] (born 1973) Acting	August 25, 2020	December 31, 2020	128 days	Republican	Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (R)
-		Fahey, JonathanJonathan Fahey[25] Acting	December 31, 2020	January 13, 2021	13 days	Independent	Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (R)
-		Pekoske, DavidTae Johnson[5] Acting	January 13, 2021	July 4, 2023	2 years, 172 days	Independent	Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (R) Joe Biden (D)
-		Canegallo, KristiePatrick Lechleitner[5] Acting	July 4, 2023	January 20, 2025	1 year, 200 days	Independent	Biden, JoeJoe Biden (D)
-		Vitello, CalebCaleb Vitello[5] Acting	January 20, 2025	February 21, 2025	32 days	Independent	Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (R)

See also

• United States portal

• Chief, IRS Criminal Investigation
• Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
• Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Director of the United States Marshals Service
• Director of the United States Secret Service
• Federal law enforcement in the United States

References

1. "Enforcement and Removal Operations". www.ice.gov. April 20, 2021.
2. "What We Do | ICE". U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement. Department of Homeland Security. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
3. "Senior Leadership The First Five Years: 2003 – 2008". April 20, 2021.
4. Meserve, Jeanne (November 6, 2008). "Bush immigration chief resigns". cnn.com. Washington DC. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
5. Meserve, Jeanne (November 6, 2008). "Bush immigration chief resigns". cnn.com. Washington DC. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
6. "John Morton to Lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Secretary Napolitano Names Esther Olavarria as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy". www.dhs.gov. February 23, 2009.
7. North, David (August 13, 2013). "A New Immigration Policy Maker — John Sandweg, Acting Head of ICE". cis.org.
8. North, David (August 13, 2013). "A New Immigration Policy Maker — John Sandweg, Acting Head of ICE". cis.org.
9. "Thomas S. Winkowski". www.dhs.gov. May 12, 2014.
10. "Thomas S. Winkowski". www.dhs.gov. May 12, 2014.
11. "Sarah Saldaña(archived)". www.dhs.gov. May 12, 2014. Archived from the original on 2015-03-16.
12. "Sarah Saldaña(archived)". www.dhs.gov. May 12, 2014. Archived from the original on 2015-03-16.
13. Darrough, Celia (31 January 2017). "Who Is Daniel Ragsdale? Donald Trump Replaced The Immigration & Customs Enforcement Director, Too". Bustle. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
14. Darrough, Celia (31 January 2017). "Who Is Daniel Ragsdale? Donald Trump Replaced The Immigration & Customs Enforcement Director, Too". Bustle. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
15. Chamberlain, Samuel (January 31, 2017). "Trump Names Thomas Homan Acting Director of ICE". Fox News. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
16. Chamberlain, Samuel (January 31, 2017). "Trump Names Thomas Homan Acting Director of ICE". Fox News. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
17. "Secretary Nielsen Announces Ronald D. Vitiello to Serve as Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement". Department of Homeland Security. June 30, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
18. "Secretary Nielsen Announces Ronald D. Vitiello to Serve as Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement". Department of Homeland Security. June 30, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
19. "Statement from Acting Secretary Wolf on the Retirement of Matthew T. Albence". www.dhs.gov. July 31, 2020.
20. Sands, Geneva; Kelly, Caroline (May 28, 2019). "Mark Morgan takes over as acting director of ICE". CNN.com. CNN. Retrieved June 15, 2019. Mark Morgan, who President Donald Trump announced earlier this month would lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement, took over as acting director of the agency on Tuesday, according to an announcement by acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan.
21. Sands, Geneva; Kelly, Caroline (May 28, 2019). "Mark Morgan takes over as acting director of ICE". CNN.com. CNN. Retrieved June 15, 2019. Mark Morgan, who President Donald Trump announced earlier this month would lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement, took over as acting director of the agency on Tuesday, according to an announcement by acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan.
22. Camilo Montoya-Galvez (August 25, 2020). "Tony Pham, former refugee, prosecutor and jail supervisor, tapped to lead ICE". CBS News.
23. Camilo Montoya-Galvez (August 25, 2020). "Tony Pham, former refugee, prosecutor and jail supervisor, tapped to lead ICE". CBS News.
24. "Trump administration taps criminal prosecutor to run ICE". Washington Examiner. 2020-12-31. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
25. "Trump administration taps criminal prosecutor to run ICE". Washington Examiner. 2020-12-31. Retrieved 2021-01-15.