Controversial acting director of ICE will retire in June

Thomas Homan, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, will retire in June, partially due to his tense relationship with Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, three people close to Homan told The Wall Street Journal.

In November, President Trump nominated Homan to fill the position, but a person with knowledge of the situation told the Journal that the administration never submitted the paperwork necessary for the Senate to hold confirmation hearings because Homan wasn't really sure if he wanted to hold the position permanently. In a statement to the Journal, Homan, 56, said his family "has sacrificed a lot in order for me to serve and it's time for me to focus on them."

People close to Homan told the Journal he's not happy that Nielsen hasn't enacted his recommendations, including separating children from their parents when they cross the border together, and didn't ask for his help during immigration negotiations with Congress. Democrats and immigration advocates have blasted Homan for going after law-abiding undocumented immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for decades with the same intensity as those who have committed crimes.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up