President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he is nominating Lance Schroyer to serve as director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The nomination comes as the agency has operated without a Senate-confirmed director since 2017. Schroyer would succeed previous acting leadership, including Todd Lyons, who announced his resignation in April 2026 and departed following a period of transition.

In his announcement on Truth Social, Trump provided details on the selection and highlighted Schroyer’s background. “Lance has over 29 YEARS of Law Enforcement experience in Oklahoma,” Trump wrote.

He described Schroyer as “a PATRIOT with real operational experience, and proven leader with DECADES of experience locking up the worst of the worst, including spearheading 287g Law Enforcement partnerships with ICE!”

Trump noted Schroyer’s firsthand experience in removing individuals without legal status from communities and stated that, like Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Schroyer “LOVES the men and women of ICE.” Trump urged the Senate, which is currently in recess through the week of July 4, to confirm Schroyer immediately without delay.

Schroyer is a retired Oklahoma State Trooper and a former U.S. Marine. His law enforcement career spans more than 29 years in Oklahoma, where he focused on patrol duties and operational enforcement activities.

Public records from earlier in his career document his response to major highway incidents, including traumatic crashes, in his role with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

The 287(g) program referenced in the announcement allows state and local law enforcement agencies to partner with ICE for immigration enforcement functions, including identification and processing of individuals subject to removal. Schroyer’s involvement in spearheading such partnerships represents a key aspect of his operational experience connecting local policing with federal immigration efforts.

ICE functions as a component of the Department of Homeland Security, with responsibilities centered on interior enforcement, including investigations, detention, and removal operations. Secretary Markwayne Mullin leads the department following an earlier cabinet adjustment in which Kristi Noem was reassigned.

The border czar role, held separately by Tom Homan, coordinates broader border security matters across agencies but does not directly oversee ICE operations.

ICE leadership has consisted primarily of acting directors for nearly a decade due to challenges in obtaining Senate confirmation amid ongoing policy debates. Todd Lyons, who had served as acting director, stepped down after approximately 20 years with the agency.

Oklahoma, where Schroyer served, is a state that has participated in 287(g) agreements, allowing trained local officers to perform certain immigration functions under ICE supervision. His background as a Marine and longtime state trooper provides a profile centered on operational and enforcement roles rather than prior high-level federal appointments.