 "Trump removes immigration chief, reports say he was unhappy over deportation rate")
US President Donald Trump has removed and replaced its top official at the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) after the agency recorded a lesser number of arrests and deportations than what was expected. According to Reuters, a senior official in the Trump administration confirmed the news. The Ice chief Caleb Vitello, was holding the post in an acting capacity and had been struggling with pressures from the Trump administration to step up enforcement .
The news of the ICE chief’s removal came just days after the top officials of the agency were reassigned by the new government. A spokeswoman for the Homeland Security Department told the Wall Street Journal that Vitello is “actually being elevated so he is no longer in an administrative role, but is overseeing all field and enforcement operations: finding, arresting , and deporting illegal aliens."
As per the report, Vitello is expected to remain at Ice and just lead the office which is overseeing the arrests and deportation of undocumented migrants. While speaking to WSJ, another Trump administration official said that the White House will soon announce a new acting director of the agency. Meanwhile, another administration official told the outlet that the Ice team would be expanded.
Frustrated Trump administration shuffles its trusted soldiers
It is pertinent to note that Trump hand-picked Vitello to lead the agency last December. He had over two decades of experience with the federal body. Trump heaped praise on his top guy, while he was nominating him for the post.
“A member of the Senior Executive Service, with over 23 years of service to [Ice], Caleb currently serves as Assistant Director of the Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs, where he oversees Agency-wide training, equipment, and policy to ensure Officer and Public Safety," the POTUS wrote on TruthSocial at that time
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More Shorts“Caleb’s exceptional leadership, extensive experience, and commitment to [Ice]’s mission make him an excellent choice to implement my efforts to enhance the safety and security of American communities who have been victimized by illegal alien crime," he added.
The latest reshuffling also follows the recent reassignment of Russell Hott and Peter Berg at Ice as the Trump administration continues to remain frustrated over low deportation numbers. While speaking to the Washington Post over the matter, a DHS spokesperson said: “Ice needs a culture of accountability that it has been starved of for the past four years. We have a president, DHS secretary, and American people who rightfully demand results, and our Ice leadership will ensure the agency delivers.”
As per the outlet, Hott was reassigned to Ice’s local office in Washington while Berg was reassigned to the office in St Paul, Minnesota. Since assuming office on January 20, Trump’s immigration officials have been arresting 826 people daily. However, the numbers are still not at par with what was expected.
With inputs from agencies.
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