Madison Sheahan, a former senior ICE official and aide to Kristi Noem, has come under fire after a former partner alleged a toxic relationship. Sheahan assumed the position of deputy director of ICE in March 2025 after being nominated by Kristi Noem before her firing. However, in January 2026, Sheahan resigned from the position, stating she was running for Ohio’s 9th congressional district.
It was great to run into @ICEDeputy Director Madison Sheahan at the U.S. Capitol. Louisiana truly appreciates the dedication and hard work of the brave men and women of ICE and @DHSgov. pic.twitter.com/OO34OP91TR
— Attorney General Liz Murrill (@AGLizMurrill) January 9, 2026
A former female junior staffer who was 19 years old at the time has shed light on Sheahan’s toxic nature. The Daily Mail reported that “boozy house parties” were common among young political staffers, especially as a campaign nears its end. During one of these parties, space to sleep was limited, so the 19-year-old staffer couldn’t find a place to sleep.
Madison Sheahan, 23 at the time, called the young staffer to her bed to sleep with her. Speaking to the publication, the young staffer revealed that by morning, “a secret s—-l relationship had begun.” However, what the young political worker didn’t know was how drastically her life would change after the relationship.
According to the young staffer, Sheahan was plagued by a constant fear that her partner would leave her for a man. She told the publication how this insecurity would lead to “verbal blowups and late-night screaming fights.” Madison Sheahan was also described as controlling about how her partner dressed.
NEW: Kristi Noem’s former Deputy ICE Director Madison Sheahan invited a 19-year-old female junior staffer into her bed after a Trump campaign party in 2020 and spent the next two years trying to control her life. Now she’s running for Congress in Ohio.https://t.co/dgMZNRfZ0W
— Phillip Nieto (@nieto_phillip) April 23, 2026
The young staffer revealed that when she went out with a group of friends, it was during that outing that her behavior first became apparent. Sheahan’s partner, wearing black jeans and a tight-fitting black bodysuit, sent a picture to the Kristi Noem aide before leaving. “She lost it on me,” the young woman revealed. “It went from her saying, ‘Have fun, have a great night,’ to, “What the f—, you’re not gonna f—ing go. Are you actually f—ing serious? I’m not gonna talk to you again.”’
Despite Sheahan’s anger, the young woman ignored her reaction and continued to go out with her friends. However, once she came back home, the fight worsened, with Sheahan stating that people who dress like “that” cheat in relationships. “People who do that stuff, that’s what they do. They cheat on people,” she said Sheahan screamed on the phone.
The young staffer told Sheahan she hadn’t been in a relationship with a woman before. To this, Sheahan replied, “This is why I don’t like to date people who aren’t gay.” “I think a lot of the problems with our relationship were that she’s not comfortable in her own skin,’ Madison Sheahan’s ex-lover revealed. “It’s okay to be gay … but I don’t think that’s something she has accepted.”
She was even controlling towards other female staffers at ICE. A former senior ICE official spoke on the matter, who said Sheahan always wanted to be “the alpha in the room.” “There could never be a stronger woman. Madison was intimidated by strong women,” the official revealed. “She’d always push to get women fired.” The young staffer revealed that similar to the numerous fights the couple had, the relationship ended over a sour phone call in 2022.
