President Donald Trump has announced that he is nominating Lance Schroer to serve as the next director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE.
The president made the announcement directly, taking to social media to confirm his choice for one of the most prominent law enforcement roles in his administration.
The nomination would take effect upon Senate confirmation. If confirmed, Schroer would replace the current acting ICE director, David Venturella.
In presenting the nominee, officials pointed to Schroer's record running large-scale operations to remove illegal aliens from Oklahoma under the 287G program, which builds law enforcement partnerships with ICE.
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Mark Wayne Mullen called Trump's choice a great pick, saying the president had nominated someone well suited to lead the agency.
The administration stressed the urgency of filling the post. Officials noted that it has been 11 years since the Department of Homeland Security had a Senate-confirmed ICE director, and urged the Senate to confirm Schroer quickly.
The nomination now moves to the Senate, where lawmakers will weigh the choice. Until a confirmation vote takes place, the agency continues under its acting leadership.