WASHINGTON — Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons will resign from his position at the end of May, the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday.
Lyons, who has led the agency since March 2025, will remain in his post until May 31 to assist with the transition, according to a statement from DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. Lyons submitted his resignation letter to Secretary Mullin on Thursday, citing family reasons for his departure.
“My goal was to be the champion for the men and women of ICE and to keep fighting on their behalf every day,” Lyons said in a statement obtained by the Boston Herald. “More importantly, I made a commitment to my family and I kept that promise to get back home as soon as possible. I am looking forward to being back home with my wife and sons.”
Secretary Mullin praised Lyons’ leadership at the agency tasked with carrying out federal immigration enforcement.
“Director Lyons has been a great leader of ICE and a key player in helping the Trump administration remove murderers, rapists, pedophiles, terrorists, and gang members from American communities,” Mullin said in a statement. “We wish him luck on his next opportunity in the private sector.”
Lyons, a career federal law enforcement official and U.S. Air Force veteran, joined ICE in 2007. He was named acting director by former DHS secretary Kristi Noem on March 9, 2025. Earlier Thursday, Lyons testified before a House Appropriations subcommittee, where lawmakers questioned him about deaths in ICE custody and the agency’s plans to expand detention capacity.
Lyons’ resignation comes less than a month after Secretary Mullin was sworn in to lead DHS, replacing Kristi Noem. It remains unclear who will succeed Lyons as acting director. Lyons has indicated he plans to work in the private sector following his departure from government.
