Todd Lyons, the acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is planning to leave the agency, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has confirmed.

"Director Lyons has been a great leader of ICE," Mullin said in a statement on Thursday, adding that he has been a "key player" in the Trump administration's immigration agenda.

Lyons, who oversaw hundreds of thousands of deportations, will step away from the role after 31 May to join the private sector.

He has worked in the federal agency for nearly two decades, and previously served in the US Air Force and as a police officer.

It is not immediately clear who will replace Lyons as head of the law enforcement agency with a workforce of over 27,400 people.

Trump named Lyons as ICE's acting director in March 2025, after Caleb Vitello was reassigned from the post.

Secretary Mullin, who was confirmed last month, will be tasked with finding Lyons' replacement.

Trump appointed Mullin, a Senator, in March to oversee the nation's immigration enforcement, border protection and airport security after removing former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem from the position.

ICE has faced increased scrutiny for its role at the center of Trump's mass deportation initiative.

In a statement on Thursday, border tsar Tom Homan praised Lyon, saying that under his leadership, "ICE achieved a record number of removals in the first year of this Administration, despite unprecedented challenges".

The agency has made thousands of arrests since Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, and there have been some high-profile clashes with protesters who oppose ICE's operations.

During a tense congressional hearing in February, Lyons and and Rodney Scott, the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) forcefully defended the president's immigration agenda.

Facing sharp questions from lawmakers in Congress, the immigration bosses blamed protesters for inflaming rhetoric against agents and said their agencies would not be deterred.

"Let me send a message to anyone who thinks they can intimidate us. You will fail," Lyons said at the time.

That hearing came after ICE agents shot and killed two US citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, sparking outrage across the country.

Trump has significantly expanded ICE, its budget and its mission since returning to the White House.

The agency enforces immigration laws and conducts investigations into undocumented immigration. It also plays a role in removing undocumented immigrants from the US.