ICE Faces Leadership Shakeup, Exposing Divide Among Trump Officials Over Deportation Goals
A sweeping leadership shakeup inside Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has sparked intense infighting among top Trump administration officials, revealing a fundamental divide over how to carry out the president’s mass deportation campaign.
According to sources familiar with the internal plan, ICE leadership in at least eight major cities — Los Angeles, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Denver, El Paso, San Diego, Seattle/Portland, and New Orleans — is being replaced with Border Patrol personnel. The move marks a dramatic shift in operational strategy and signals growing influence from Trump’s longtime confidant, Corey Lewandowski, who is playing a key, though unofficial, role in reshaping DHS leadership.
Lewandowski’s Quiet Power Grab
Lewandowski, who sources say is acting as a shadow chief of staff to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, has reportedly been pushing for raw deportation numbers above all else — even at the expense of strategic enforcement.
“This is all Corey,” one frustrated DHS official said. “He wants power. Noem isn’t even in control — it’s all Corey.”
The reshuffling has triggered friction between Lewandowski and Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan and Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, both of whom favor focusing ICE efforts on violent criminals and gang members. Homan and Lyons reportedly worry that Lewandowski’s push for higher arrest counts could erode public support and damage ongoing intelligence operations in immigrant-heavy communities.
Border Patrol vs. Community-Based Enforcement
The ICE shakeup has also raised concern over bringing in Border Patrol officials to lead urban enforcement operations far removed from the southern border.
“They’re used to being on the border,” one source said. “They don’t have experience working in neighborhoods where you need to build trust and develop leads to track down truly dangerous individuals.”
Border Patrol sweeps in places like Home Depot parking lots and car washes have led to legal backlash, with critics alleging racial profiling and violations of court orders. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino is even scheduled to testify in a Chicago federal court for allegedly deploying tear gas on protesters during one such sweep.
DHS Responds: “One Team, One Fight”
Despite the escalating tensions, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin attempted to project unity on X (formerly Twitter), calling the team “brilliant” and “tenacious.”
“This is one team, one fight,” McLaughlin posted. “President Trump has a brilliant, tenacious team led by @Sec_Noem to deliver on the American people’s mandate to remove criminal illegal aliens from this country.”
While DHS declined to confirm the shakeup publicly, McLaughlin added, “We remain laser focused on RESULTS and we will deliver.”
Lewandowski’s Clock Is Ticking
Adding to the controversy is Lewandowski’s own precarious position. His role as a special government employee comes with a strict 130-day time limit, and DHS officials say he’s already clocked 69 days as of mid-August.
But several sources claim Lewandowski has deliberately undercounted his hours — failing to swipe in, working remotely, and bending the rules — to extend his grip on power. Axios reported that Lewandowski is effectively operating as Noem’s chief of staff, despite not being officially sanctioned to do so.
“He’s lying about his special government employee status 100%,” a DHS source told The Daily Wire.
A Crossroads for Immigration Enforcement
With deportations at the center of Trump’s second-term agenda, the ICE shakeup reflects more than just bureaucratic jockeying. It exposes a serious rift within Trumpworld: between those who want a high-volume crackdown and those seeking a more strategic, criminal-focused enforcement model.
Whether this power struggle resolves internally — or explodes into a larger public feud — may depend on how far Lewandowski is willing to push, and how much control Secretary Noem and President Trump are prepared to assert in the weeks ahead.