Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons has submitted his resignation to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Fox News confirmed Thursday.
In a letter to Mullin, Lyons said he plans to remain in his role through May 31, 2026, to ensure a smooth transition. Sources familiar with the matter said he cited a desire to spend more time with his family, particularly as his sons reach important stages in their lives. He described serving under President Donald Trump as a privilege. According to a recent study by the Cato Institute, the president and Lyons have overseen one of the most dramatic reversals in illegal immigration in history.
Mullin praised Lyons’ tenure, crediting him with helping drive the administration’s immigration enforcement agenda.
“Director Lyons jumpstarted an agency that had not been allowed to do its job for four years,” Mullin said, according to Fox News. “Thanks to his leadership, American communities are safer.”
According to sources, ICE has carried out approximately 584,000 deportations under Lyons’ oversight since Trump’s inauguration for his second term in 2025.
Lyons, a 20-year veteran of the agency, previously served in special forces with the U.S. Air Force. Mullin said Lyons will transition to the private sector and confirmed that May 31, 2026, will be his final day.
The resignation comes as the Trump administration has emphasized stepped-up immigration enforcement, with Lyons overseeing a significant expansion of operations after what officials described as years of restricted activity at the agency.
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