President Trump’s pick for ICE chief, Richard Schroyer, is off the table at the White House. The withdrawal comes after months of pushback from the Senate, with Republican Sen. Rand Paul leading the charge and demanding specifics on investigations into agent-involved shootings in Minnesota.
When Mr. Trump nominated Schroyer to serve as an assistant DHS secretary overseeing ICE in June, he was working as a senior adviser to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. The nomination got stuck in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where Paul kept it from moving forward.
The White House and the Department of Homeland Security were contacted by CBS News for a response. Neither office replied right away.
The Stalled Confirmation
The hold concerned the Minnesota shootings rather than the person himself. The senator’s office stated that Paul has not expressed opposition to Schroyer.
A nomination left without final approval remains just that, a nomination left without final approval. It now seems the White House has concluded the struggle is not worth pursuing.
Who Runs ICE Now
Todd Lyons left the director’s post at ICE in April, and David Venturella has since taken on the position as the senior official performing the duties of ICE director.
Venturella’s title is temporary. It means he holds the director’s powers until a permanent director is confirmed, if one ever is.
ICE has not had a Senate-confirmed director since 2017.
The Minnesota Shooting Case
The senator was seeking particulars about the inquiries into agent-involved shootings in Minnesota, and his request for information was directed at obtaining such details.
That the nomination was withdrawn points to the administration’s decision to stop pressing the matter.
The Withdrawal Decision
Months of dispute with Paul over the Minnesota investigations might have been the path chosen by the White House. That is not what happened. The White House chose to walk away instead.
The White House’s decision was strategic, not a sign of surrender. There are still other candidates it can put forward for consideration. And the agency can keep running its operations even without the Senate giving final approval on any of them.
Whether it happens with or without Senate approval, the outcome remains the same: ICE continues its operations, and the president retains the authority to shift course at will, free from needing anyone’s permission.
What Comes Next
Another candidate could be put forward by the White House at a later date. Alternatively, the post could remain vacant for years, just as it has since 2017, with the agency declining to fill it.
While the hunt for a permanent director replacement carries on, the agency’s present leadership setup stays in operation, with Venturella continuing to handle the director’s responsibilities.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs neither side here — the withdrawal of the ICE chief nominee follows a senator demanding answers about agent-involved shootings, which fits neither a push for smaller government nor a defense of executive power. The paper’s position is clear: smaller government and less control over people’s lives, with power that gathers in one place getting abused. A senator demanding answers about agent-involved shootings does not reduce government size; the White House withdrawing a nomination does not defend executive power.
The paper would prefer a process where nominees face open questions about their records and where the Senate fulfills its duty to confirm leaders of agencies like ICE. Instead, what happened here is a nomination withdrawn without a vote and without the public knowing whether the questions were answered. The paper watches the pattern: a White House that walks away when questioned, a Senate committee that holds a nomination, and an agency that runs without a Senate-confirmed leader for years.
The reader should watch for the next nominee, and whether that person faces the same questions.
Key Facts
- Schroyer was nominated in June to run ICE as an assistant DHS secretary
- Paul demanded details of investigations into agent-involved shootings in Minnesota
- Schroyer did not make it past the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Paul’s office said the senator has not expressed opposition to Schroyer
- David Venturella is currently the senior official performing the duties of ICE director
- Todd Lyons announced his departure from the top ICE role in April
- ICE has not had a Senate-confirmed director since 2017
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June | Trump nominates Schroyer to run ICE |
| April | Todd Lyons announces departure from top ICE role |
| Now | White House withdraws Schroyer’s nomination |
President Trump’s pick for the post at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Richard Schroyer, has been pulled back by the White House. The confirmation battle is done, and the withdrawal happened before the vote turned against him.
See the video the story is built around at Cbsnews.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.