ICE acting director Todd Lyons will resign at end of May, DHS says

Todd Lyons, senior official performing the duties of the director at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, listens during a Senate Homeland Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner, File) 2026-04-17T01:26:18Z Washington (AP) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting director Todd Lyons, a key executor of President Donald Trump’s mass deportations agenda, will resign at the end of May, federal officials announced Thursday. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced Lyons’ departure, calling him a great leader of ICE who helped to make American communities safer. Mullin said Lyons’ last day will be May 31. “We wish him luck on his next opportunity in the private sector,” Mullin said in a statement. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press asking why he is resigning. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin listens during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, March 26, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin listens during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, March 26, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) --> Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. --> Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Lyons, who was named acting director in March 2025, led the agency at the center of President Donald Trump’s plans to reshape immigration to the U.S. Under his leadership, the agency was granted a massive infusion of cash through Congress, which it used to expand hiring and detention capabilities, and it ramped up arrests to meet demand from the administration. ICE was also central to a series of high-profile immigration enforcement operations in American cities, including Chicago and Minneapolis, a deployment that ended after backlash erupted over the deaths of two American protesters at the hands of federal immigration officers. Stephen Miller, the president’s deputy chief of staff and the main architect of his immigration policy, called Lyons a “dedicated leader.” (