The winds of change are blowing through the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is also apparently weighing a major leadership reshuffle that could see up to a dozen senior ICE field office directors replaced with Border Patrol officials. Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem are championing this move.
But what does this mean for immigrants and the future of US immigration policy? According to ABC News, as many as twelve Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office directors may be swapped out for leaders from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The offices affected reportedly include Denver, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and San Diego. According to DHS insiders, the goal is to have a maximum number of people deported, and they plan to do this by bringing in officials who are infamous for their toughness.
This restructuring to reduce the number of OG ICE officers is being guided by Corey Lewandowski, Kristi Noem, and Commander-at-Large Greg Bovino. Bovino, on the other hand, is known for his enforcement. He has even been called to testify in court for allegedly ignoring judicial orders during operations. But inside DHS, he is backed by senior leadership who see him deliver “results.”
So, is DHS realigning its culture from the top down? Bringing Border Patrol brass into agency could reshape how deportations are carried out. Border Patrol’s playbook has involved risk operations, rural interdictions, and a paramilitary structure. This is very different from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s more procedural model. The Guardian reports that Border Patrol agents have been deployed beyond their border zones to conduct raids and checkpoints in metropolitan areas. They are sometimes “cavalier” and are designed for interdiction.
The Trump administration wants to remake ICE with Border Patrol’s more in-your-face, aggressive style.
We’ve seen Greg Bovino, the El Centro, CA chief help with illegal immigrant arrests in some cities since June. He very much has the Trump admin’s approval and Trump world wants… pic.twitter.com/qvH6VbdH9t
— Anna Giaritelli (@Anna_Giaritelli) October 27, 2025
Now, those methods could filter into agency’s operations. Civil rights lawyers are likely to challenge operations they view as unconstitutional or overreaching. For immigrant communities, the fusion of ICE and Border Patrol cultures could be even more unpredictable. Within DHS, officials are reportedly split between two camps. One of those is favoring a push led by Lewandowski and Bovino, and the other one is advocating for a legally cautious approach. Quite obviously, Kristi Noem is in the first camp, with a “one team, one fight” philosophy.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin wrote on X:
“President Trump has a brilliant, tenacious team led by [Noem] to deliver on the American people’s mandate to remove criminal illegal aliens from this country.”
But as there are no formal announcements yet, it could mean that at least some degree of internal negotiations is still underway. The potential leadership overhaul at immigration agency is going to mark a shift in America’s immigration enforcement playbook. If Border Patrol leaders take over ICE field offices, the agency could move toward a more aggressive, militarized model of operations.
Do you think the Immigration and Customs Enforcement shake-up could reshape America’s approach to immigration or backfire due to backlash?
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