The Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday that David Venturella, an ICE official who has a record of service under both Republican and Democratic administrations and who previously worked for private prison operator GEO Group, will become the agency's new acting director.
"Dave Venturella will serve as acting ICE director following Todd Lyons' departure," DHS said in a statement. Lyons, who has been serving as ICE's acting head, is scheduled to leave federal service on May 31, the department said in April.
ICE has long been led by officials in an acting capacity. The agency has not had a Senate-confirmed director since early 2017, a condition that has persisted through multiple administrations.
The appointment and ongoing leadership structure come while the Trump administration, which took office early last year, has pursued a stricter immigration policy. Rights groups have argued that the government's enforcement measures infringe on due process and free speech rights and create an unsafe environment for ethnic minorities. ICE's detention operations and enforcement actions have been central to that administration-wide crackdown on immigration.
ICE agents' fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens in Minnesota - identified as Alex Pretti and Renee Good - in January drew nationwide protests, underscoring the heightened scrutiny of the agency's conduct and tactics.
President Trump has defended the tougher enforcement stance, saying the approach is intended to reduce illegal immigration and bolster domestic security.
Venturella's career includes multiple stints at ICE as well as employment at GEO Group, a private prison company that operates more than a dozen federal civil immigrant detention centers across the United States. He rejoined ICE last year.
Detention conditions and rights group concerns
Advocacy organizations have repeatedly criticized conditions inside ICE facilities. According to rights groups' reporting cited in recent weeks, at least 18 deaths occurred in ICE custody in the first four months of 2026, following 31 deaths last year, a tally described as a two-decade high.
Those groups have highlighted individual cases they say illustrate deficiencies in care. They criticized the year-long detention of Palestinian American woman Leqaa Kordia, who experienced a seizure while detained and reported being chained during hospital care. They also raised alarms about Hayam El Gamal and her five children, ages 5 to 18, reporting that the family's health worsened while in custody. Kordia was released in March; the El Gamal family was released last month.
The government has denied allegations of mistreatment, stating that detainees have access to medical care and due process rights while in custody.
Recent leadership changes at DHS
The announcement follows recent turnover at the Department of Homeland Security. President Trump fired former DHS chief Kristi Noem in March and named Markwayne Mullin as her replacement.
Venturella's selection to lead ICE in an acting capacity places him at the center of continued debate over detention operations, enforcement priorities, and oversight while the agency remains without a Senate-confirmed director.