The Trump administration has launched a sweeping personnel shake-up inside the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), reassigning several senior Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials across the country in what insiders describe as the first stage of a nationwide restructuring effort.
According to multiple administration sources, the move affects ICE’s leadership teams in five major cities — Denver, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and San Diego — with additional reshuffling expected in the weeks ahead. The changes are part of the administration’s broader plan to tighten interior immigration enforcement and reinforce coordination between ICE and the U.S. Border Patrol.
Major Restructuring Underway
The Washington Examiner first reported that ICE field office directors in the five cities were removed from their posts last Friday and reassigned to new positions within the agency. Over the weekend, DHS began quietly implementing its reorganization, marking what one senior official called a “significant operational reset.”
“The administration is streamlining enforcement leadership and aligning ICE field operations more closely with border enforcement priorities,” said one DHS official familiar with the effort, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. “This is about efficiency, coordination, and results.”
According to three officials, the five cities represent the first wave of what could become a nationwide restructuring across ICE’s 24 field offices, each of which oversees immigration enforcement operations in specific regions.
From ICE to Border Patrol Leadership
As part of the shake-up, the administration plans to replace several of the reassigned ICE leaders with senior Border Patrol agents, a move that underscores the White House’s push to unify immigration enforcement under a more aggressive, centralized strategy.
The decision marks a shift from the agency’s traditional leadership model, where long-serving ICE career officials typically oversee field operations. The appointment of Border Patrol veterans, administration officials argue, will strengthen coordination between the agencies and speed up implementation of the mass deportation initiative President Trump has promised to carry out.
One official described the personnel changes as “a prelude to the biggest immigration enforcement campaign in modern history.”
Reassignments Over Firings
While early reports suggested that the administration initially planned to terminate the five field office directors, internal resistance reportedly led to a compromise. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons intervened to prevent outright firings, urging DHS leaders to reassign rather than dismiss the affected officials.
“The administration wanted all these guys fired and Todd stepped in and said, ‘Let’s move them all to headquarters,’” one senior official told the Examiner. “He made the case that reassigning them would maintain continuity and avoid unnecessary turmoil during an already sensitive transition.”
The five reassigned officials are now expected to take temporary roles within ICE headquarters in Washington, D.C., while DHS finalizes replacements for their previous posts.
Leadership and Political Tensions
While the DHS did not provide official comment on the changes, insiders point to growing political tension within the department as a driving factor behind the reshuffle.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who assumed her role earlier this year, reportedly holds final authority over ICE and Border Patrol personnel decisions. However, multiple sources suggested that senior adviser Corey Lewandowski has also played an influential role behind the scenes.
“I personally think this is being pushed by Noem and [Lewandowski] because they don’t like [White House border czar Tom Homan],” one DHS official claimed. “I think Tom would have said, ‘No way’ to this kind of mass reassignment.”
While speculation about internal disagreements continues to circulate, there has been no public confirmation of a rift between Secretary Noem and Homan, both of whom have been key figures in shaping the administration’s border enforcement policies.
A spokesperson for the department declined to comment, saying only that DHS “continues to make personnel decisions based on mission needs and operational priorities.”
A Shift in Strategy
Sources within DHS describe the shake-up as part of a broader evolution in strategy, reflecting President Trump’s emphasis on results-driven enforcement rather than bureaucratic procedure.
Unlike past administrations, which often prioritized immigration case processing and humanitarian discretion, the current leadership is reportedly focused on increasing arrest numbers and public visibility of enforcement actions.
“This administration wants the public to see that immigration laws are being enforced aggressively and consistently,” said a senior enforcement official familiar with the restructuring. “Part of that means putting leaders in place who share that vision.”
The five affected field offices—Denver, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and San Diego—were selected for early restructuring due to their high migrant populations and ongoing enforcement challenges, according to internal discussions.
Each of these cities has historically been home to large sanctuary jurisdictions, where local policies limit cooperation between law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. By placing Border Patrol officials in key ICE roles, the administration hopes to bypass bureaucratic slowdowns and strengthen coordination with local partners who support federal enforcement efforts.
Reaction and Uncertainty Within ICE
Inside ICE, the changes have prompted a mix of uncertainty and quiet support. Some career officials expressed frustration with what they view as political interference in agency operations, while others welcomed the move as a long-overdue effort to refocus on enforcement.
“Morale has been mixed,” one ICE agent in Los Angeles said. “Some people are nervous about what this means for their jobs, but others think it’s about time leadership started listening to the agents in the field.”
Union representatives for ICE officers, who have historically aligned with Trump’s immigration policies, have not publicly commented on the personnel changes but are expected to issue a statement later this week.
Wider Implications
Analysts say the restructuring underscores the administration’s commitment to its “America First” immigration agenda, even as the government continues to grapple with budget disputes and legal challenges over enforcement authority.
Dr. Lisa Franklin, an immigration policy researcher at Georgetown University, said the move signals “a consolidation of power and purpose” within DHS.
“By placing Border Patrol leadership directly inside ICE’s operational chain of command, the administration is effectively merging the two enforcement arms into a single, more streamlined force,” Franklin explained. “It’s a structural change that could outlast this administration if it proves effective.”
However, civil rights groups have voiced concerns that the shake-up could intensify deportation efforts and reduce oversight of immigration enforcement practices. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) warned that consolidating authority under politically loyal appointees may increase the risk of due process violations and civil liberties concerns.
What Comes Next
With five offices already restructured, insiders suggest that DHS plans to extend the personnel overhaul to at least a dozen more field offices by early next year. The next phase is expected to include major metropolitan areas such as Chicago, New York, and Miami, where ICE operations are among the most active in the country.
A senior administration source described the effort as “systematic and ongoing,” emphasizing that “no part of the immigration enforcement network is off the table.”
Meanwhile, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons continues to walk a fine line — attempting to balance political directives from the White House with the agency’s institutional integrity and morale.
“This is a delicate operation,” one official said. “The administration wants bold action, but Lyons knows the importance of maintaining stability inside the agency.”
As the shake-up continues, all eyes will remain on how the reorganization affects both ICE’s effectiveness and the broader national debate over immigration policy — a defining issue as the 2026 political season approaches.