A senior federal official who oversaw more than 570,000 deportations in a single year has submitted his resignation to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, citing family obligations and a shift to the private sector.
Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons, a 20-year ICE veteran and former Air Force officer, delivered his resignation letter Thursday, stating he will remain in his role until May 31 to facilitate a smooth transition. In the letter, Lyons noted that his children are “reaching a pivotal point in their lives” and expressed gratitude for serving under President Donald Trump.
Lyons’ tenure as acting ICE director—beginning March 2025—has been defined by unprecedented enforcement actions. He led the agency through a record hiring surge of approximately 12,000 new employees, sustained peak detention levels, and managed over 570,000 deportations in one year. His leadership also faced significant political scrutiny, including allegations from Democrats that his officers operated as “Gestapo” and “terrorists,” and a federal judge in Minnesota who threatened to hold him in contempt.
DHS Secretary Mullin described Lyons’ work as critical for restoring ICE’s operations after four years of restricted functionality. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller praised Lyons as a “phenomenal patriot” whose efforts have “saved countless thousands of American lives.”
Lyons remains in his position through May 31 to assist with the transition, leaving the administration without a Senate-confirmed ICE director—a situation that has persisted for nearly a decade. The Trump administration now seeks a replacement to maintain its aggressive deportation operations under heightened political and legal scrutiny.