![Two senior ICE officials reassigned following frustrations with immigration arrests under Trump administration Two senior ICE officials reassigned following frustrations with immigration arrests under Trump administration](https://uslive-mediap.uslive.com/2025/02/68843911-567381040d6c4f1e835bdc1c5ae8c55d-trump_immigration_ice_26702.jpg)
In Washington, two prominent officials from immigration enforcement have been reassigned following dissatisfaction within the Trump administration regarding the rate of immigration arrests. These changes were revealed by officials familiar with the situation who preferred to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the matter.
Staff at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were informed on Tuesday that Russell Hott and Peter Berg, who held significant responsibilities in identifying and detaining undocumented immigrants, would be reassigned. A source from the Department of Homeland Security confirmed the news, reflecting a broader sentiment within the agency that a “culture of accountability” had been lacking during the previous administration.
Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin emphasized the need for results, stating that the agency’s leadership is expected to meet the demands of President Trump, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the American public. The reassignment plans indicated that Berg would return to the ICE office in St. Paul, Minnesota, while Hott was set to move back to the Washington field office, as reported by other media outlets.
The position of head of Enforcement and Removal Operations will now be filled by Todd Lyons, previously the senior immigration enforcement official in Boston, with Garrett Ripa designated as his deputy. Officials did not provide specific reasons for the leadership change, but it coincided with remarks from Tom Homan, the administration’s border czar, who expressed his frustrations about the current rate of immigration arrests and the recent number of releases from detention facilities.
Under the current administration, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations plays a crucial role in executing the President’s promise of mass deportations for undocumented immigrants, as the agency has been relatively tight-lipped about detailed statistics concerning arrests. Between late January, there were brief daily updates on arrests by ICE, revealing an average of 787 arrests per day during that period. This starkly contrasts with an average of 311 arrests per day that occurred over a twelve-month period under former President Biden.
Moreover, a recent video from the White House celebrated Trump’s accomplishments, claiming that ICE had made over 11,000 arrests labeled as “criminals” within an 18-day timeframe, averaging about 611 arrests each day. Homan noted that the arrest rate for individuals in the interior of the country—those not apprehended at the border—has more than tripled compared to this period last year under Biden’s leadership. However, he expressed that he remains unsatisfied with the progress and stated, “We got to get more.”
Homan also discussed the high number of individuals being released from immigration custody, declaring that such practices must change. He asserted that from this point on, any releases will require approval from ICE leadership. Homan described the previous number of releases as “unacceptable” and affirmed that the situation has been addressed.
This reshuffle among ICE’s leadership is part of the administration’s ongoing effort to reinforce its immigration policies and ensure a more aggressive approach towards undocumented immigration enforcement.