Acting ICE Director

Acting ICE Director

The Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a temporary leadership role assigned when the office of ICE Director is vacant, or when the Director is unavailable. Individuals serving in an acting capacity exercise the full operational authority of the Director during their tenure.

Acting Directors are typically senior ICE executives or Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials appointed under federal succession rules or internal DHS designation.

Role and Authority

The Acting ICE Director oversees all ICE components, including Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Responsibilities include operational command, policy implementation, coordination with DHS leadership, and public representation of the agency.

While serving in an acting capacity, the official holds the same functional authority as a confirmed Director but does not undergo Senate confirmation for the role.

Acting Directors

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Sarah R. Saldaña |

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Patrick Lechleitner |

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Caleb Vitello |

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Todd Lyons |

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| Appointment Process Acting Directors are appointed under federal vacancy statutes and DHS internal succession protocols. In some cases, individuals may serve multiple non-consecutive acting terms depending on administrative changes. Related Pages ICE Director Assistant Director ICE Leadership Department of Homeland Security Notes This page documents the office of Acting ICE Director as an institutional role. Biographical details, incidents, and verification status are maintained on individual agent pages.