White House withdraws Trump's ICE nominee as Republican senator objects

September 17, 2026

The White House has pulled Richard Schroyer's nomination to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement after facing bipartisan opposition in the Senate. Republican Senator Rand Paul blocked the confirmation process, demanding additional details about fatal shootings of two American protesters by ICE agents in Minneapolis earlier in the year. Schroyer, a former Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer with limited experience managing large federal agencies, was chosen by Trump despite ICE lacking a Senate-confirmed director since 2017.

Who is affected

Richard Schroyer (withdrawn ICE nominee)
President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin (political defeat)
Republican Senator Rand Paul (who blocked the nomination)
ICE (continues without Senate-confirmed leadership)
Renee Good and Alex Pretti (Americans killed in Minneapolis shootings)
Hispanic voters who supported Trump in 2024
Republican Party facing midterm elections
David Venturella (current acting ICE leader)

What action is being taken

The White House is withdrawing Schroyer's nomination
Senator Rand Paul is pressing for more information about the Minneapolis shootings
Representative Maria Elvira Salazar is warning the president through advertisements about immigration enforcement going too far
The Trump administration is continuing its deportation effort campaign

Why it matters

This matters because it represents a significant obstacle to Trump's signature campaign promise of leading "the largest deportation effort in US history." ICE has operated without permanent Senate-confirmed leadership since 2017, creating instability in a key immigration enforcement agency. The controversy over the Minneapolis shootings of American citizens and growing concern about alienating Hispanic voters demonstrates how Trump's immigration policies are becoming politically divisive within his own party ahead of crucial midterm elections that could determine congressional control.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC