Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons to Resign

Departure follows controversies over migrant deaths in agency custody

Apr. 17, 2026 at 9:10pm

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A dynamic, fragmented painting depicting an ICE detention center, with overlapping geometric shapes and muted colors conveying a sense of unrest and instability surrounding the agency.The resignation of the acting ICE director amid a crisis of migrant deaths in detention centers reflects the ongoing turmoil within the agency.Washington Today

Todd Lyons, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), will resign from his position on May 31, 2026, amid ongoing controversies surrounding migrant deaths in agency custody and funding questions. The announcement came from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who confirmed Lyons' departure in a statement released on April 16, 2026.

Why it matters

Lyons' resignation follows a public hearing on Capitol Hill where he testified about the record number of detainee deaths in ICE detention centers. The number of people who have died in ICE custody during Trump's second term is the highest in the agency's history, raising concerns about the treatment of migrants in detention.

The details

Lyons announced his pending departure on the same day he was grilled by Democrats in Congress over the concerning number of deaths at migrant detention centers across the United States. Data shows that thirty-two individuals were known to have died under ICE or Customs and Border Patrol detention in the previous year, the highest total since 2004. So far in the current year, there have been 16 deaths in ICE detention or custody.

  • Lyons will resign on May 31, 2026.
  • Lyons testified about the record number of detainee deaths in ICE detention centers during a public hearing on Capitol Hill.

The players

Todd Lyons

The acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) who will be resigning on May 31, 2026.

Markwayne Mullin

The Department of Homeland Security Secretary who confirmed Lyons' departure in a statement released on April 16, 2026.

Lauren Underwood

A Democratic House Representative who questioned Lyons during a committee hearing about the concerning number of deaths at migrant detention centers.

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What they’re saying

“Lyons jumpstarted an agency that had not been allowed to do its job for four years.”

— Markwayne Mullin, Department of Homeland Security Secretary

“The current death toll is the highest in decades because ICE currently has the highest number of people in detention it has ever had since its inception in 2003.”

— Todd Lyons, Acting ICE Director

What’s next

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The takeaway

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