David Venturella expected to be new Immigration and Customs Enforcement director (ice) behind the head Todd Lyons Departs on May 31, 2026. The New York Times report Three U.S. officials familiar with the developments were quoted as saying.
Later, NewsNation’s Kellie Meyer Confirmed On X, Venturella will serve as acting director of ICE.
Venturella’s appointment comes amid a reorganization of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the federal agency that houses ICE. vibrating saw Kristi Noem Sen. Markwayne Mullin stepped down to take over after a series of controversial incidents, including the shootings of Renee Goode and Alex Pretty.
Venturella is expected to become the acting head of ICE, which has not had a Senate-confirmed director since Obama administration officials retired in January 2017. Notably, Venturella has not yet been appointed to the position, and officials have warned President Trump may change his mind as well.
However, the potential announcement amid heightened scrutiny from ICE and the Department of Homeland Security has sparked interest in who David Venturella is. Here’s everything you need to know about expected ICE headers.
David Venturella: 5 things to know about expected ICE chief
- Venturella worked for the private prison company GEO Group during the Obama administration before rejoining ICE. If appointed, it could draw criticism from those skeptical of the influence of private prison companies over ICE, the New York Times reported.
- Venturella reportedly prefers quiet operations to the erratic operations carried out by Homeland Security last year, as seen in Minneapolis and elsewhere.
- He is known to have allies within the agency and the Trump administration, with one federal official telling the New York Times that Venturella has an ally in Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller.
- Venturella began his law enforcement career in Chicago in 1986, working for the former Immigration and Naturalization Service, according to the IBM Center for the Business of Government, a think tank. During his career, Venturella reportedly successfully negotiated bilateral repatriation agreements on behalf of the U.S. government and served as a delegate to the semi-annual U.S./Cuba immigration negotiations. He also reportedly served as vice president and business development director for two private companies focused on homeland security issues from 2004 to 2008.
- Venturella reportedly holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Bradley University. He reportedly completed advanced executive leadership programs in management from Harvard University and MIT.
The New York Times reported in March that Venturela called ICE officials in Miami to ensure officers there picked up her ex-wife, a Trump ally with whom she was locked in a custody battle. At the time, the Department of Homeland Security said she was arrested on criminal charges. “Any suggestion that she was arrested and deported for political reasons or interests is false,” the department said in a statement.
