WASHINGTON, D.C. — Todd Lyons, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, will leave the agency on May 31 and move to the private sector. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed the departure and will be tasked with finding a replacement.

Lyons, who has worked at ICE for nearly two decades, plans to return to Massachusetts to spend more time with his family, including his sons. No successor has been named.

Lyons joined ICE in 2007 as an agent in Dallas and rose to the No. 2 position in the Dallas field office. He later became field office director of the Boston region, which covers all of New England, and served as assistant director for field operations at the agency's Enforcement and Removal Operations branch. President Donald Trump named him acting director in March 2025 after Caleb Vitello was reassigned. Before his career at ICE, Lyons served in the U.S. Air Force.

At a congressional hearing in February 2025, Lyons said ICE made 379,000 arrests during the first year of the Trump administration and removed more than 475,000 people from the U.S. He declined at the hearing to apologize for the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minneapolis. "Let me send a message to anyone who thinks they can intimidate us. You will fail." Lyons said.

White House border czar Tom Homan praised Lyons following the announcement. "ICE achieved a record number of removals in the first year of this Administration, despite unprecedented challenges." Homan said. He added: "I commend him for a distinguished law enforcement career and the countless contributions he has made to protect our country and advance its interests."

White House adviser Stephen Miller also commented on the departure. "Todd is a phenomenal patriot and dedicated leader who has been at the center of President Trump's historic efforts to secure our homeland and reverse the Democrats' sinister border invasion." Miller said.

ICE has a workforce of more than 27,400 people. The agency has had a dozen acting directors and has been without a Senate-confirmed head since early 2017.