White House pulls stalled ICE director nominee

The White House on Thursday withdrew the nomination of Oklahoma state trooper Lance Schroyer to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement after a Republican blocked his confirmation hearing.

Schroyer's nomination stalled after Senate Homeland Security Chair Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a foe of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, requested that the Department of Homeland Security provide his committee with more information about its investigation into two ICE and Border Patrol agents accused of killing two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis in January.

Paul, who as chair controls the committee's hearing and markup agenda, did not oppose Schroyer's nomination, per Drew Carmichael, a spokesperson for the senator.

Schroyer was a surprise pick to lead ICE. He had no experience leading a major law enforcement agency, let alone an organization the size of ICE. But Schroyer has close ties with the DHS secretary. Schroyer at one point led Mullin's security detail and Mullin made Schroyer a senior adviser at DHS.

The White House and DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The nomination's withdrawal is a blow to Mullin, who has faced criticism from immigration hardliners over what they have characterized as insufficient progress in achieving mass deportations of unauthorized immigrants from the United States. Mullin had defended his pick to lead ICE, saying he wanted someone who could be confirmed in the Senate.

Mullin's pitch for putting Schroyer in the role in part involved highlighting his experience with helping stand up special units in the Oklahoma Highway Patrol to locate abducted children, as well as his work implementing a state program allowing local police departments to work with ICE on arresting undocumented immigrants.

But immigration hardliners weren't convinced. They and others in the administration doubted Schroyer could lead the complex agency — or even clear the Senate.

Schroyer's abrupt exit means the agency's streak of not having a confirmed leader at the top ranks will continue. The Senate has not confirmed an ICE director since 2014 and there is pessimism within the administration's ranks that the Senate could confirm any nominee with a significant track record at ICE, given how polarizing the agency has become under President Donald Trump.

Acting ICE chief David Venturella, a close ally of White House border czar Tom Homan, has led ICE while Schroyer's nomination was pending. Under federal law, as long as a nominee is pending Venturella can serve in that role indefinitely. Now, the clock starts ticking on a 210 day limit for his tenure, unless someone else is nominated.

Venturella would have his own challenges if he were nominated for the role, including past work for GEO Group, a major private detention company. Some in the administration have said that association would hurt his chances at confirmation to lead ICE in Schroyer's place.