President Trump will nominate the acting director at Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE), Ronald D. Vitiello, to the permanent role of heading the agency.
Vitiello was named to the acting role at the end of June, replacing retired Acting Director Thomas Homan.
Vitiello began his career as a Border Patrol agent in Laredo, Texas, in 1985. In 2010, after working in the Operations Division of the former DHS Border and Transportation Security Directorate, he transferred to CBP headquarters to be deputy chief of the Border Patrol.
He was named chief of the Border Patrol in February 2017 and was named acting CBP deputy commissioner later in the year.
DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said she was “pleased” by Trump’s pick.
“Since assuming the role of Deputy Director in late June, he has made clear his commitment to support the men and women of ICE, and ensure they are well-positioned to meet the demands of their incredibly challenging jobs,” Nielsen said in a statement. “Deputy Director Vitiello’s leadership experience, combined with the unique perspective that comes from more than 30 years in law enforcement, makes him especially qualified to hold this important position.”
“I encourage the Senate to act quickly in confirming Deputy Director Vitiello’s nomination, and I look forward to continuing to work with him and the remarkable team at ICE,” she added.
Vitiello said in a statement: “ICE’s mission is critical to protecting national security and public safety, and the men and women of this agency continue to carry out that mission with courage, dedication, and integrity – even in the face of unfair attacks and threats. I am honored that the president plans to nominate me to serve as director alongside the brave men and women of ICE.”
Homan had originally planned to retire with the incoming administration in January 2017 but was convinced to stay on as acting director until a permanent ICE director could be found. He was nominated to permanently fill the role last November but was not confirmed by the Senate,
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