Tue Oct 28 07:40:00 UTC 2025: Summary: The Trump administration is reportedly planning to replace regional Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leaders with Border Patrol officials to accelerate deportations. This move stems from frustration with ICE’s arrest numbers, which fall short of the administration’s goals, and a preference for Border Patrol’s more aggressive enforcement tactics. Border Patrol’s recent operations in cities like Chicago, involving tactics like rappelling from helicopters and using tear gas, have sparked controversy and lawsuits. The decision to reassign ICE leaders was influenced by Corey Lewandowski and Greg Bovino, with the White House closely involved. This shift signifies a potential escalation in the administration’s deportation efforts.
News Article:
Trump Administration to Replace ICE Leaders with Border Patrol Officials in Push for Increased Deportations
Washington, D.C. – The Trump administration is planning a significant shake-up at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), replacing at least a dozen regional leaders with officials from Border Patrol in an effort to dramatically increase deportations, according to multiple sources within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and law enforcement.
Frustration with ICE’s current arrest numbers, which average 1,178 per day, far below the administration’s target of 3,000, is driving the change. White House officials reportedly favor Border Patrol’s more aggressive enforcement tactics, exemplified by recent operations in cities like Chicago, which included agents rappelling from helicopters and deploying tear gas.
“The mentality is CBP does what they’re told, and the administration thinks ICE isn’t getting the job done,” one DHS official stated. “So CBP will do it.”
The list of ICE field office directors slated for reassignment was compiled by Corey Lewandowski, a special government employee at DHS, and Greg Bovino, a Border Patrol sector chief. At least half of those replaced are expected to be Border Patrol officials.
These tactics have drawn criticism and legal challenges, with one lawsuit accusing the administration of using excessive force. Greg Bovino has been ordered to appear before a federal judge in Illinois to address concerns that arrest tactics in the Chicago area, including the use of tear gas, may have violated a temporary restraining order.
While the White House maintains that the president’s entire team is working “in lockstep,” some within ICE have reportedly expressed concerns about Border Patrol’s tactics.
The increasing role of Border Patrol in interior enforcement signals a potentially significant shift in the Trump administration’s deportation strategy, focusing on more aggressive, large-scale operations in U.S. cities.
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