The former Oklahoma state trooper’s nomination has stalled in the Senate as ICE faces increased scrutiny of its operations.
Published September 18, 2026
The White House withdrew the nomination of former Oklahoma State Police Trooper Lance Schroyer to lead U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without giving a reason for the decision.
The withdrawal was announced on Thursday. Schroyer, a senior adviser to Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullin, was nominated by President Donald Trump in June but has not yet received a hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
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The committee’s chairman, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, had refused to hold a hearing until the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provided information requested about civilian deaths during ICE enforcement operations.
“I’m not interested in who the nominee is. I was just asking for an update on the internal investigation into the deaths of civilians,” Paul told The Associated Press.
Paul said he had intended to hold a hearing on Schroyer’s nomination, but learned the hearing had been canceled when the White House announced its decision.
ICE remains under surveillance
Schroyer has little immigration experience and has never previously worked for ICE or led a major law enforcement agency. Two U.S. officials told Reuters at the time of his nomination that his selection for the job was a surprise.
When announcing Schroyer’s nomination in June, Trump told Truth Social that he has “first-hand experience removing illegal aliens from our streets” and called on the Senate to confirm him “immediately.”
The withdrawal comes as ICE continues to come under scrutiny for its enforcement activities as the Trump administration implements an immigration crackdown.
Critics have raised questions about how the agency has hired and trained staff as it rapidly expands its workforce. Federal immigration agents also shot and killed several people during enforcement operations, including two Americans in Minneapolis earlier this year.
ICE arrests continue to rise, reaching nearly 51,000 in August, the highest monthly total of the Trump administration.
ICE has not had a Senate-confirmed director since 2017. David Venturella has been serving as acting director since Todd Lyons resigned earlier this year.
The White House has not said when it will announce another candidate to lead the agency.
