Posted on 02/23/2025 5:17:13 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
Acting ICE Director Removed From Role By Trump
Carmine Sabia February 23, 2025
President Donald Trump has removed Caleb Vitello, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, from his position and appointed him to a more enforcement-centered job.
Vitello will remain with ICE and will oversee the enforcement of arrests, targeting, and field operations, NBC News reported.
His removal comes as both Trump and Border Czar Tom Homan have been critical of the rate of deportations and the leaks that have come from the department, though the president’s promised effort to remove million of illegal immigrants is just getting started.
A former ICE official told NBC News that Vitello “grew up in the Enforcement and Removal Operations division” of ICE after he was announced as acting director.
“He knows the complexities and challenges of a broken immigration system,” former ICE Chief of Staff Jason Houser said.
“He’s very even-keeled. I honestly — I can’t think of a single thing that [is] controversial about him. I don’t want to call him a Boy Scout, but he’s as close as it gets,” former acting executive associate director of Enforcement and Removal Operations Corey Price said.
For his part, Homan was furious after details involving a planned Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid in Aurora, Colo., were allegedly leaked earlier this month.
Homan provided more information about the purported leak during an interview with Fox News host Harris Faulkner and was clearly not happy about the incident while also vowing to act in response.
“We’ve already identified how this operation got leaked. I’ll deal with that today,” Homan said.
He added that ICE is working closely with the Department of Justice and that Homeland Security may start prosecuting those who get in the way of the agency’s operations. “This is not a game. This a dangerous job,” he said. “To have this top of interference puts the officers at great risk.”
The leaked operation comes as some Democrats also appear to be overtly interfering in ICE’s operations.
Democrat New York Rep. Dan Goldman is among those who are under scrutiny for how he advised people to avoid the agency’s raids.
“Every New Yorker has rights when they interact with immigration enforcement,” he said in a post on X. “No matter what the next four years bring, stay informed, stay safe, and stay together.”
“No matter what the next four years bring, stay informed, stay safe, and stay together,” he said in the caption of a video he shared.
“The Trump administration has carried out deportations, raids all across the country, including here in New York City,” he said in the video. “These are certainly uncertain times, but no matter what, it’s important that you know your rights when interacting with law enforcement.”
He went on to give instructions on “mak[ing] a plan for ICE encounters” along with information on pro bono legal representation if they are detained.
“President Trump has a well-documented pattern of abusing his power by detaining American citizens and legal residents,” Goldman spokesperson Madison Andrus falsely claimed in an interview with the Daily Caller. “The Congressman will always provide his constituents with information to protect them from extrajudicial threats and intimidation, and only someone who supports the use of threats and intimidation would take issue with him doing so.”
A spokesperson for ICE said that American citizens are not subject to arrest but may be detained pending identification.
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement may encounter U.S. citizens while conducting fieldwork and may request identification to establish an individual’s identity,” the person said to The Caller.
In December, Homan spoke to the outlet as well, explaining his role and the administration’s focus on ensuring immigration law compliance.
“There are federal statutes on the books for knowingly concealing and harboring an illegal alien away from ICE officers. There are statutes on the books about impeding federal law enforcement officers – they’re all felonies,” Homan said.
Things are gonna start getting rough IF government officals and politicans are arrested for aiding and abetting the enemy.
I know this wouldn’t be the charge...but it should be one of them.
Let things get rough.
I’d rather they didn’t, but if they must...let’s dance.
I’ve said from the beginning, they should establish a bounty hunter program. Incentives work.
Attention Bondi and Kash - It’s time to start arresting politicians who actively obstruct ICE and their deportation operations. Waiting around months before taking action is not acceptable. We’re operating on Trump time, now.
Reassigned to the enforcement office in Alaska?
Goldman is not a “Jew Friendly” Jew.
He wants to keep these people here and they might get around to killing his kin.
He must have been replaced by a pod clone from outer space.
Or brain destruction by the Vaxx.
They may slowly deport themselves since all federal aid has been cancelled, the only aid they’d be getting is from liberal governors and mayors of cities from taxpayers.
There will have to be multiple clashes with democrat operatives hindering ICE and ICE will have to decisively and “brutally” take them down. Otherwise, no lesson learned and no impovement in deportations.
Homan had better be willing and able to bring down the hammer as he claims. No setting red lines repeatedly. That’s disasterous.
The left will respect no laws or authority of which it is not in quaking fear.
“Reassigned to the enforcement office in Alaska?”
No, fire any and all who can’t do the job.
Trump Time—git her done NOW. Trump only has Two years until the house & Senate revert to the Democrats—who will block Trump from doing much. He will be an instant Lamb Duck—That or a third assassination will take him out (Third times a charm)—Trump is on borrowed time now—Now is not the time to pause! He is 1/3 of the way past his 100 days. Talk of a third term is a Right wing fantasy—Good news we have JD Vance in reserve! Now is the time to git her done as fast as possible. Maybe the Dems will not retake the House and Senate—but they are skilled operators who own the wealthy class and all media. That is very possible. People have short memories and can be rallied with good fake media—Many of my Democrat friends still believe the Piss piss Russian report—and think Trumps a Russian spy.
The left will respect no laws or authority of which it is not in quaking fear.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Since it’s a fact there are already laws on the books making interference with Federal immigration enforcement a felony, why are those doing so not being indicted?
Goldman is also a descendant of Levi Strauss and part of their San Francisco power base.
Article said he was reassigned.
What utter BS. I cannot think of a SINGLE INSTANCE of that. The ACLU and others would have been screaming bloody murder if that were true.
Goldman is such an evil scumbag.
I think we are all experiencing irrational impatience - myself included. This is a monumental operation that cannot be high speed and smoothly functioning in 30 days. The complexity is much more than we are capable of believing.
I believe that the engine is still warming up at an idle. The deportations are not one task in a bubble. So much else going on.
More has been put into operation in 30 days than in 4 years of any other administration in history. The only thing the Rats have done besides whine and make threats is the filing of a LOT TROs, most or nearly all of which will fail. Trump is pounding on them now and also taking the long game simultaniously. With this approach, the Rats are capable of only responding and reacting to the immediate short game. Remember, Trump's people have had several thousands of people and organizations planning, researching and vetting for at least 3 years to do so much this soon. Like you I am spoiled by success and want a lot more right now. God, give me patience and give it to me right now.
Start with Tom Dart.
L
Exactly, which is why he needs to lock some people up, expose their crimes to the voters, and pass election security legislation all before the mid-terms if we have any chance of retaining control of Congress.
They need to throw Goldman’s Nazi ass in Gitmo.
>>”Since it’s a fact there are already laws on the books making interference with Federal immigration enforcement a felony, why are those doing so not being indicted?”
I think part of the problem is that the legality of sanctuary laws has never been challenged in the courts or by the executive branch. Sanctuary jurisdictions will argue that not cooperating with ICE is not the same as obstructing them. I think it’s a weak argument but, just like birthright citizenship, it’s become the de facto law because nobody’s ever bothered to challenge it. If the DOJ starts arresting sanctuary governors and mayors they’ll be seeking to establish a precedent and will need to be well prepared to defend the arrests in court. But if they were to lose, there are other options.
Congress can pass more explicit legislation requiring local governments to comply with ICE detainers. Additionally, President Trump could start to lean on sanctuary cities and states by denying them federal money if they don’t comply. Whichever path we end up following, the issue is likely to be decided in the courts, either way.
It seems as if the Trump administration hasn’t yet figured out which track they want to pursue.
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