Todd Lyons, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is set to leave his position by May 31. Lyons’ impending departure comes after facing scrutiny from Democrats in Congress regarding the spike in deaths at migrant detention facilities nationwide. This development highlights one of the challenges faced by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security during President Donald Trump’s aggressive deportation initiative.
Markwayne Mullin, the new Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, announced Lyons’ departure, praising him for revitalizing an agency that, in his view, had not been operating effectively for the past four years. The White House also commended Lyons, referring to him as a devoted patriot who enhanced national security.
Last year, a total of 32 individuals died while in ICE or Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) custody, marking the highest number of deaths since 2004. The figures for this year show 16 deaths in ICE detention or custody. Lyons, when questioned by Democratic Representative Lauren Underwood, attributed the increase in deaths to the escalating number of detainees, which has reached a historic high since ICE’s establishment in 2003.
Underwood expressed dissatisfaction with this explanation, emphasizing that the surge in deaths cannot be solely attributed to the rise in detainees without considering the availability of resources and officers. The death toll in migrant detention centers was predominantly in single digits or low double digits in previous years, with a noticeable uptick in 2020, coinciding with the emergence of COVID-19.
The deaths this year include individuals from ten different countries, with four originating from Mexico. Mexico’s Foreign Ministry has pledged support for detainees alleging substandard conditions at detention centers, including inadequate medical care and punitive isolation practices. The ministry plans to present the case to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
President Trump’s administration defended the crackdown on undocumented residents as a measure to bolster national security and curb illegal immigration. However, reports indicate a reduction in legal immigration pathways under the administration, according to the Cato Institute. The administration’s deportation operations in various U.S. cities faced opposition from Democratic officials, with Governor JB Pritzker criticizing ICE for its actions.
The administration’s deployment strategies drew criticism from grassroots activists, particularly in Minnesota, where fatal incidents occurred during deportation operations. The administration has since scaled back large-scale deployments, with a change in leadership at the Department of Homeland Security following scrutiny over departmental expenses.
Lyons declined to apologize for officials portraying deceased citizens as radicals or terrorists, stating he would address the matter privately with the families. Investigations into the fatal shootings are ongoing, with conflicting reports on the status of the inquiries.
The ongoing issue of questionable detentions has raised concerns, including cases involving individuals like an Indo-American court translator, an elderly widow from France, and Canadian citizens. ICE’s operations continue to garner attention amid reports of questionable detentions.
ICE has operated without a permanent director since Trump’s second term began. Lyons assumed the acting director role in 2025, and the agency’s funding has sparked debates in Congress. The annual funding for ICE and CBP has faced delays due to partisan disagreements, with Republicans seeking approval through a special Senate procedure to bypass Democratic opposition.
As the search for Lyons’ successor looms, the incoming director will inherit an agency with substantial funding, despite objections from Democratic lawmakers regarding ICE’s operations.