President-elect Donald Trump wasted no time in announcing his picks for key positions related to immigration and border security, quickly announcing a border czar and secretary of homeland security, while the remaining positions Who else could be appointed?
President Trump announced that Tom Homan would become “border czar” to oversee deportation and border security, while South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem was announced as the nominee for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
However, it has not yet been determined who will fill key positions at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
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President Trump speaks at the U.S.-Mexico border in southern Sierra Vista, Arizona, on August 22, 2024. (Rebecca Noble)
Fox News Digital understands that discussions on these positions have not yet begun in earnest and may not begin until December at the earliest, but multiple sources familiar with the situation and the agency generally sources told FOX News Digital that discussions on these positions have begun in earnest. It's on the list of important positions.
Here are some of the people sources believe are potential candidates to make up the remainder of President Trump's immigration team, which will focus on border security and mass deportation operations.
tod lyons
Mr. Lyons currently serves as the field office director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Boston. In that role, he leads efforts to apprehend criminal illegal immigrants, many of whom are released onto the streets of the Boston area after committing crimes.
A number of high-profile sex offenders have been arrested by Lions units, drawing attention to the impact of “sanctuary” city policies that release criminal illegal immigrants onto the streets.
Lyons is likely to be a top priority for the Trump administration, especially given his experience in sanctuary cities, and appears to have emerged as the front-runner to take the helm of the agency. A person familiar with ICE discussions told Fox News Digital that he would be shocked if Lyons was not named as the next ICE board member.
President Trump speaks with U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott during a ceremony marking the completion of 200 miles of wall on the U.S.-Mexico border in San Luis, Arizona, June 23, 2020. day photography). (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
rodney scott
Rodney Scott is a former Border Patrol chief who served as chief from 2020 until he was fired by the Biden administration in mid-2021. Since then, he has sharply criticized the Biden administration's immigration policies and response to the crisis at the southern border.
He has experience as a Border Patrol agent, and before becoming chief he led the San Diego Division, one of the nation's most troubled departments. He has been highly critical of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, recently accusing him of “deliberately” opening the southern border.
“We gave them the most secure border in American history and a roadmap to maintain and even improve it. [yet] “Through 94 executive actions, President Biden completely destroyed border security,” Scott said this year.
Brandon Judd
Brandon Judd is the former president of the National Border Patrol Council, which represents Border Patrol agents across the country. He has been an agent since 1997 and also served as an academy instructor.
Under Judd, the union strongly supported Mr. Trump and was fiercely critical of the Biden administration and its handling of the border crisis, during which there were numerous clashes between the Biden administration and its staff.
Mr. Judd stepped down as NBPC chairman earlier this year and has been a strong supporter of Mr. Trump's re-election campaign along with the union.
“Under President Trump, our borders are secure, our agents are supported, our immigrants no longer suffer at the hands of cartels, and our country is safer.” In August.
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John Fabricatore
Mr. Fabricatore is a former ICE Field Office Director. In that capacity, he oversaw Colorado State and Wyoming. Previously, he helped ICE establish numerous fugitive task forces and served as an instructor at the ICE ERO Academy.
Since retiring in 2022, he has been sounding the alarm about the Venezuelan gang Torren de Aragua, which is occupying apartment complexes and committing crimes in Colorado. He is running as a Republican candidate for Congress in Colorado this term, saying he is “running to protect America.”
Officials told Fox News Digital that Fabricatore's role is unclear, but they believe it is “likely” that Fabricatore will be involved with ICE in some way.
John Fear
John Fear is currently the research director of the Center for Immigration Studies. He left CIS to join the immigration policy team of the first Trump transition team and later served as senior advisor to the ICE director and ICE chief of staff in the first administration. After the end of the regime, he returned to the CIS.
Fille worked closely with Homan, who is now border czar at ICE. He focuses on the harm caused by sanctuary city policies and what he sees as abuses of employment visa programs such as optional work training. Sources said his experience with the agency and deep policy knowledge would make him a strong candidate for the ICE Enforcement Division.
Tony Pham
Mr. Pham served as ICE's acting director from August 2020 to December 2020, after previously serving as ICE's chief legal advisor. Pham is a Vietnamese immigrant who came to the United States in 1975.
He oversaw numerous operations targeting illegal immigrants emerging from custody by “sanctuary” cities. Pham cites his experience as a refugee as what led him to law enforcement.
“I wanted to be part of the enforcement division of the Immigration Service because when people cheat, whether it's immigration, whether it's school exams, whether it's state bar exams, when people cheat, or when they try to cheat the system, When is the time to do this? Because I learned that if they misbehave, they are degrading and disrespecting the lawful path – what my parents endured to become lawful citizens,” he said. He said this in a 2020 interview with FOX News Digital.
Pham has been floated as a possible candidate to lead the agency, having previously held the role.
Acting ICE Director Tony Pham.
robert perez
Robert Perez, a former CBP deputy commissioner who served there in the Trump and Biden administrations, resigned in June 2021 and warned of the impending consequences of a “broken” and “porous” immigration system.
He is the founder and co-chairman of the CBP Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting CBP employees and their families. While CBP appears to be a good fit for Perez, one official said he would be a “phenomenal” asset in any department of Homeland Security.
“Liberation Day”: What to expect from President-elect Trump on border security and immigration control
Joe Edlow
USCIS is an often overlooked agency responsible for immigration policy regarding legal immigration. Its work includes visas, asylum adjudication, and enforcement of rules and restrictions.
The agency would lead the effort to reinstate the utility rule, which limits the ability of immigrants deemed likely to become welfare dependent to obtain green cards.
Edlow served as acting director of the agency during the Trump administration and is one of a handful of names that have been floated as potential returns to the agency. One official said he was a “very serious” candidate and had done a good job leading the agency.
rob lowe
Mr. Roe served as senior policy advisor and policy director for USCIS during the first Trump administration. Since then, he has served as director of the Center on Homeland Security and Immigration at the America First Policy Institute. He was also involved with the Center for Immigration Studies, where he served as Director of Regulatory Affairs and Policy.
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He is considered a strong candidate given his previous experience with the agency and detailed knowledge of policy.
FOX News' Emma Woodhead contributed to this report.
