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Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons quietly submitted his resignation to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and will remain on the job through May 31 to help with the transition. Conservatives should recognize that leaving a post like this after guiding tough enforcement for more than a year is not a retreat but a measured exit by a man who put public safety first.
Secretary Mullin lauded Lyons as a leader who “jumpstarted” an agency that had been hamstrung, and the official announcements make clear Lyons decided to step down for personal and professional reasons even as some in the media try to craft a different narrative. Lyons took the reins in March 2025 and spent two decades in the field before answering the call to serve at the top of ICE. The administration’s statement and reporting make clear no single scandal was pinned to his departure, despite the usual cable-TV hysteria.
Make no mistake about results: under Lyons the agency surged its enforcement posture, expanded hiring and significantly increased removals of criminal aliens and other dangerous actors from our streets. That rebound in manpower and action was the kind of gumption Americans voted for — a return to enforcing the law and prioritizing victims over open‑borders sentiment. The public saw ICE doing the job Republicans promised, even as critics shrieked about tactics that were necessary to restore order.
Lyons also faced relentless political theater and unfair scrutiny, including questions about use‑of‑force incidents and tragic deaths in custody that opponents quickly weaponized to demonize the entire agency. Conservatives should acknowledge operational mistakes where they occurred, but never forget these challenges took place while agents were carrying out a lawful, politically mandated mission to remove violent criminals and traffickers. The truth about operational complexity and dangerous field work rarely fits an angry soundbite.
On Fox’s Saturday in America Lyons reminded viewers he did this work for “angel families,” vowing to help make sure no American family had to endure the preventable suffering caused by lawlessness. That kind of moral clarity is rare in Washington today, and it’s why patriots should stand with those who put American lives ahead of political fashions and sanctuary city prestige. The elites and activist mayors who obstruct enforcement owe the public answers, not applause.
As Lyons exits, conservatives must press for a swift, Senate‑confirmed replacement who will continue restoring law and order, answerable to voters and unapologetic about protecting American families. Honor the service of the brave men and women who enforce our laws, push back against the cancel culture that vilifies them, and demand accountable leadership that keeps our communities safe. The hard work of securing the border and upholding the rule of law doesn’t end with one resignation — it begins anew.
