White House withdraws Trump's ICE nominee amid Republican opposition

White House withdraws Trump's ICE nominee amid Republican opposition The White House has pulled President Donald Trump’s nomination to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement after a Republican lawmaker joined Democrats in blocking the confirmation. Richard Schroyer, who had been serving as a senior adjutant to the head of the Department of Homeland Security, was selected by Trump in June to head the immigration enforcement bureau. The administration announced the withdrawal on Thursday in a brief memo that offered no explanation; the BBC has sought comment from the White House. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky stalled the nomination, insisting on more information about ICE and Border Patrol shootings that killed two Americans in Minneapolis in January. Schroyer’s résumé includes 29 years with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and service in the U.S. Marines. He is a close associate of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullins, whose agency oversees ICE and other immigration and border entities. Observers noted the appointment was surprising given Schroyer’s limited experience managing a large law‑enforcement organization. Because the ICE director must be confirmed by the Senate, Schroyer’s nomination never reached a floor vote and remained stalled in the Senate Homeland Security Committee. ICE has lacked a Senate‑confirmed leader since 2017, relying instead on a succession of acting chiefs. The agency is currently headed by David Venturella, a former private‑sector executive, after Todd Lyon departed the top post in April. The withdrawal signals a decision by Trump and Mullins as the White House continues to pursue the president’s campaign pledge to conduct the largest deportation effort in U.S. history. Paul, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee, said he would not advance the nomination to a full vote until the White House supplies additional details about the Minneapolis killings. Nationwide protests erupted earlier this year after the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Both were U.S. citizens who were fatally shot by ICE agents during separate confrontations in January while participating in demonstrations.