President Trump has tapped Dave Venturella to serve as the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed to The Hill’s broadcast partner NewsNation. Venturella will take over from Todd Lyons, who has been leading the agency in an acting capacity and is set to depart for a private-sector role on May 31, according to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
In a post on the social platform X last month, Mullin praised Lyons for his nearly two decades of service at ICE, calling him “a great leader” who helped the administration remove “murderers, rapists, pedophiles, terrorists, and gang members from American communities.” Mullin added that Lyons “jumpstarted an agency that had not been allowed to do its job for four years,” crediting him with making communities safer.
The transition comes during a turbulent period for ICE, which has faced increased scrutiny following the killing of two U.S. citizens in Minnesota, fueling debate over Trump’s immigration enforcement tactics. The agency has also been grappling with a funding impasse, as ICE and Border Patrol were left out of a recent DHS funding bill that ended a record-long partial government shutdown.
Venturella is a seasoned ICE veteran who served during the Obama and George W. Bush administrations. He recently rejoined DHS to oversee contracts between ICE and immigrant detention facilities. Prior to that, he worked for a private prison company that operates such facilities, according to CBS News. His appointment underscores the administration’s reliance on officials with deep ties to immigration enforcement infrastructure.
The Senate has not confirmed a permanent ICE director since 2017, leaving the agency under acting leadership for nearly a decade. This pattern mirrors broader instability at DHS, where Trump has also appointed a fourth acting FEMA chief amid agency turmoil.
Venturella’s selection arrives as the administration pushes forward with aggressive immigration policies, including a $1 billion security plan that includes upgrades to federal facilities. Critics argue that acting leaders lack accountability, while supporters say they allow the president to bypass Senate confirmation battles.
The funding stalemate for ICE and Border Patrol remains unresolved, raising questions about how the agency will sustain operations. Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues to face legal challenges and public backlash over its handling of immigration, with the Minnesota killings intensifying calls for reform.
Sarah Davis contributed to this report.
