Trump replaces Acting Director of Immigration

Story by NBC News/AP
Written by Alex Johnson

President Donald Trump replaced the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Monday night, shortly after he fired the acting attorney general, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed.

Unlike the firing of Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, the replacement of Acting ICE Director Daniel Ragsdale came with no explanation. Ragsdale was replaced by Thomas Homan, ICE's executive associate director of enforcement and removal operations since 2013.

"I am confident that he will continue to serve as a strong, effective leader for the men and women of ICE," John Kelly, the secretary of Homeland Security,said in a briefstatement.

ICE said late Monday that Ragsdale remains in his previous, full-time position as Deputy Director.

Homan, a former New York police officer, is a 30-year veteran of immigration enforcement, having served as a U.S. Border Patrol agent and deputy assistant director of ICE for investigations before becoming deputy director, according to DHS.

The announcement came as turmoil swirled around Washington over Trump's firing of Yates, an Obama administration holdover, as acting attorney general.

In a blistering statement announcing Yates' replacement, the White House cited her memo earlier in the day ordering Justice Department lawyers not to go to court to defend sharp restrictions Trump ordered last week on immigration from seven majority Muslim countries.

No such language was used in the announcement of Ragsdale's replacement, and there was no indication that he was being removed from the agency. Like Yates, Ragsdale was promoted to acting director after having served as deputy director of his agency during the Obama administration.