WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a move that marks a dramatic shift in
U.S. immigration policy, President Donald Trump’s administration has begun
removing top leadership from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in
several major cities, replacing them with veteran Border Patrol agents.
According to information revealed by the Washington Examiner
and confirmed by internal sources at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS),
the directors of ICE offices in Denver, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and
San Diego were dismissed from their posts last Friday and subsequently
reassigned within the agency.
Officials familiar with the process describe the move as
part of a strategic reorganization aimed at more closely aligning ICE’s
internal operations with the border control objectives promoted by Trump since
his return to power.
“This represents a profound change in how immigration laws
will be enforced within the United States,” a DHS source said on condition of
anonymity. “For the first time, the Border Patrol will not only have control at
the border, but also direct influence over immigration enforcement within the
country.”
The replaced officials had been appointed during previous
administrations and had extensive experience in deportation, detention, and
administrative enforcement operations. However, the new directive aims to
strengthen the focus on security and territorial control, with an emphasis on
identifying and expediting the removal of undocumented immigrants with criminal
records.
Immigration policy analysts point out that this
institutional reconfiguration accentuates the operational merger between ICE
and the Border Patrol, a dynamic that could toughen the enforcement of
immigration laws in urban communities traditionally considered “sanctuaries”
for migrants, fulfilling one of President Trump’s campaign promises.
White House officials have defended the decision as a
“necessary modernization of the immigration system,” arguing that the goal is
to ensure consistent enforcement and strengthen national security.
The Department of Homeland Security has not issued further
public comments on the replacements, though the new directors—all with decades
of experience in border operations—are expected to formally assume their posts
in the coming days.