President Donald Trump has nominated Mark Morgan to serve as the new director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Morgan spent 20 years in the Federal Bureau of Investigation before being appointed chief of U.S. Customs and Border Protection during the final months of the Obama administration. Despite being ousted from the role shortly after President Trump took office, Morgan has remained a vocal supporter of Trump's immigration policies. Morgan must be confirmed by the Senate before he can assume the position.
ICE is the law enforcement branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In addition to its immigration enforcement and removal operations, ICE plays a major role in work site enforcement efforts. In fiscal year 2018, ICE significantly ramped up its work site enforcement activities, quadrupling the number of work site investigations from the year before. In addition, ICE has also stepped up I-9 audits, criminal arrests, and administrative arrests, a trend that seems likely to continue under Morgan's command.
Ogletree Deakins' Immigration Practice Group will continue to monitor developments with respect to changes at ICE and will post updates on our immigration blog as additional information becomes available.
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