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Inside the Decision
Sources say DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and senior adviser Corey Lewandowski spearheaded the initiative, with acting ICE Director Todd Lyons stepping in to prevent the firings of all five field directors. “The administration wanted all these guys fired and Todd stepped in and said, ‘Let’s move them all to headquarters,’” one insider revealed.
DHS has not publicly confirmed Secretary Noem’s direct involvement, but it’s clear the move carries her approval. One former official noted, “Tom [Homan] would have said, ‘No way,’” suggesting that the current leadership is taking ICE in a dramatically different direction from the Trump-era veteran.
Border Patrol Takes Command
Perhaps the most unprecedented part of this shake-up is who’s replacing the ICE officials: Border Patrol supervisors. This marks the first time Border Patrol brass have been installed to run interior enforcement operations — traditionally under ICE’s jurisdiction.
Among those reassigned were Denver’s Robert Guadian, San Diego’s Patrick Divver, Phoenix’s John Cantu, Los Angeles’ Ernesto Santacruz, and Philadelphia’s Brian McShane. In Philadelphia, however, an ICE Homeland Security Investigations officer will temporarily fill McShane’s role.
Meanwhile, Gregory Bovino, a Border Patrol sector chief from El Centro, California, has emerged as the face of this new enforcement model. Bovino has already been assisting ICE operations in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland, often leading agents directly into major cities and even confronting protesters face-to-face.
One DHS official said Bovino’s methods are now “the new standard for managing ICE operations.”
The Numbers Behind the Crackdown
The personnel purge coincides with an ambitious goal: to reach 600,000 deportations by January 2026. That target represents one of the largest deportation efforts in modern U.S. history.
Back in May, Stephen Miller, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, reportedly demanded that ICE conduct 3,000 arrests per day — about one million per year — during a heated meeting with agency leaders.
Legal Questions, but No Hesitation
The aggressive blending of ICE and Border Patrol operations raises fresh legal questions, especially since Border Patrol agents traditionally operate within a 100-mile zone from the U.S. border. Despite that, Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks confirmed earlier this month that agents are already assisting ICE in 27 cities nationwide.
When asked about the personnel overhaul, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a careful but firm statement:
“While we have no personnel changes to announce at this time, the Trump administration remains laser focused on delivering results and removing violent criminal illegal aliens from this country.”
A Clear Message from the Top
This latest move sends a clear message: the Trump administration is done with bureaucratic slowdowns and intends to make ICE a more aggressive, Border Patrol-style force operating deep within the U.S. interior.
With Kristi Noem’s DHS taking the lead and veterans like Gregory Bovino embodying the new hardline approach, America’s immigration enforcement system may soon look very different — and far tougher — than ever before.
