The acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Todd Lyons, will step down on May 13 to join the private sector. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed this on April 16.
According to the BBC, the law enforcement officer first joined ICE as an immigration enforcement agent in 2007. He steadily climbed the ranks and now oversees around 27,400 employees.
“He revitalized an agency that had not been allowed to carry out its duties for four years. Because of his leadership, American communities are safer. ” Mullin announced. We wish him well in his next role in the private sector. His final day will be May 31, 2026.”
Mullin replaced former DHS head Kristi Noem on March 31 after she stepped down and was reassigned to a new role as “Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas.”
Noem was questioned by both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill two days later, after Donald Trump posted an official statement about her exit.
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Mullin is now responsible for finding Todd Lyon’s replacement to take over the administration. decided to resign just hours after a Capitol Hill hearing. There, the ICE director told lawmakers that at least 44 people died in agency custody since he began serving in March 2025.
According to Politico, two current colleagues and one former colleague said that Todd Lyon has been dealing with immense stress from work demands and leading a large team. He was reportedly hospitalized twice in the past seven months in Washington.
“He would be visibly upset and struggle to make the decisions required of the director,” said one former official. Lyons reportedly experienced panic attacks after increased public scrutiny and pressure from senior officials.
The number of deaths in ICE custody during Trump’s second term is reported to be the highest in the agency’s history. According to sources, 46 detainees died in custody.
Most of these deaths reportedly occurred within 200 detention centers across various U.S. states. Five deaths occurred outside these centers.
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In a statement on Thursday, border czar Tom Homan praised Lyon, saying that under Lyon’s supervision, “ICE achieved a record number of removals in the first year of this Administration, despite unprecedented challenges.”
Homan’s remarks came amid protests across the country after ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot 37-year-old Renée Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen, on Jan. 7 in Minneapolis. Good worked as a preschool teacher and lived in Minneapolis with her partner.
A second shooting occurred on Jan. 24, adding to community distress. Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an intensive care nurse for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, was shot by another ICE agent after taking part in a protest and arguing with officers.
Trump Took power away from career politicians who were making bad decisions. The American people will be fine. They are going to come out ahead over it. There will be more more money for them. Instead of Liar Democrats saying Americans need to pay more taxes and get less for it…
— Ron Douglas (@diveron) April 16, 2026
Later, Homan was sent to Minnesota to address unrest stemming from the fatal shootings. He argued that giving immigration officials greater access to local jails would reduce the need for agents patrolling certain areas and improve safety.
Besides Todd Lyon and Kristi Noem, Trump’s top counterterrorism official, Joe Kent, reportedly resigned in March amid U.S.-Israel airstrikes on Iran under Operation Epic Fury.
Meanwhile, rumors from a Fox News host suggest key Cabinet member Tulsi Gabbard may step down sooner than expected. There has been no official confirmation.
