Trump Purges 12 ICE Field Directors, Replaces with Border Patrol Loyalists to Escalate Deportations

On October 28, 2025, while President Trump was returning from a three-country Asia trip, the administration executed a major purge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leadership, reassigning 12 field office directors across the country and replacing them with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials and Border Patrol agents known to be more loyal to Trump and more willing to escalate immigration enforcement beyond constitutional limits.

The purge affected roughly half of ICE’s 25 field offices, including leadership in Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Denver, Portland, Philadelphia, El Paso, and New Orleans. Half of the replaced directors are being supplanted by existing or retired CBP staff, while the other half would be replaced by ICE officers willing to follow more aggressive directives.

Stated vs. Actual Reasons:

DHS officially described the changes as “performance-based” and designed “to move people around for the best results.” However, internal sources revealed the real motivation: ICE’s current enforcement approach was not producing the number of arrests Trump demanded.

Stephen Miller had demanded ICE conduct “a minimum of 3,000 arrests per day,” but ICE typically averaged around 900 daily arrests. The administration viewed existing ICE leadership as insufficiently aggressive and too constrained by legal and constitutional limitations.

Internal Conflicts Over Priorities:

Sources revealed deep conflicts within DHS over arrest priorities:

• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wanted broader arrest priorities with fewer restrictions
• White House Border Czar Tom Homan and Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons preferred to prioritize arrests of undocumented people with actual criminal records
• Miller and Trump demanded mass arrests regardless of criminal history, prioritizing raw numbers over public safety

Internal ICE officials expressed frustration that Border Patrol operations focused on “Home Depots and car washes” rather than targeting individuals with criminal backgrounds, suggesting the administration prioritized visible spectacle over legitimate law enforcement objectives.

CBP Leadership Selection:

Notably, the replacements are being vetted and selected by Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino—the same official who was caught on video personally throwing tear gas canisters at protesters in violation of federal court orders and who is currently required to report daily to a federal judge. Bovino’s involvement in selecting new ICE leadership signals the administration’s preference for officials willing to defy court orders and constitutional constraints.

Strategic Timing:

The purge occurred while Trump was out of the country, potentially to avoid domestic political attention and to create distance between the President and the controversial personnel action. By the time Trump returned on October 30, the leadership changes were already being implemented.

Escalation of Enforcement:

The leadership purge represents a systematic effort to replace immigration enforcement officials who prioritize:

• Following court orders and legal procedures
• Targeting individuals with serious criminal records
• Respecting constitutional limitations on federal power
• Maintaining traditional law enforcement standards

With officials who will:

• Defy court orders when directed
• Conduct mass arrests regardless of criminal history
• Prioritize arrest quotas over public safety
• Use military-style tactics and excessive force
• Meet Trump’s demand for 3,000+ arrests daily

Implications:

The purge establishes a two-tiered immigration enforcement system:

• ICE (under original leadership): Focused on criminals, following legal procedures, averaging 900 arrests/day
• CBP-led ICE (under new leadership): Focused on mass arrests, defying legal constraints, targeting 3,000+ arrests/day

By replacing experienced ICE professionals with Border Patrol officials already demonstrated to defy federal court orders, the administration signals its intent to escalate immigration enforcement beyond legal and constitutional boundaries. The involvement of Bovino—currently under court supervision for contempt—in selecting replacements indicates the administration is specifically seeking officials willing to violate judicial authority.