Acting ICE Director departing amid frustrations over immigration deal
WASHINGTON — The acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Thomas Homan, announced his retirement Monday, and his departure was driven in part out of frustration that his agency was cut out of negotiations with Congress over protecting so-called Dreamers, two people familiar with the situation told McClatchy.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen insisted on negotiating with members of Congress herself and would not allow Homan, Director of Citizenship and Immigration Services Francis Cissna and Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan to be involved, the two people said.
“They weren’t allowed to go brief, weren’t allowed to be included,” said one former DHS official who is familiar with the negotiations.
Instead, Nielsen brought along her chief of staff, Chad Wolf, and Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Jonathan Hoffman to speak to members of Congress.
Even when lawmakers’ officers sent questions to the trio of agencies, Nielsen’s office would respond.
Homan, 56, the latest agency chief to quit the Trump administration, had planned to announce his retirement while being honored at the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association Foundation in New York Monday night.
But ICE released a statement from Homan after McClatchy and other news outlets reported he was leaving. “The decision to leave federal service after more than 34 years is bittersweet, but my family has sacrificed a lot in order for me to serve and it’s time for me to focus on them,” he said.
An ICE official disputed that the Dreamer negotiations prompted Homan’s departure.
“As Mr. Homan made clear, his decision to retire was driven by family and personal considerations,” said Eliz- abeth Johnson, a spokeswoman for ICE.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a public statement, Nielsen congratulated Homan for a long career that was to be highlighted Monday evening when he receives the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association Foundation’s “National Law Enforcement Leader of the Year” award.
“I know Tom is looking forward to spending more time with his family, who made their own sacrifices in order for him to lead ICE. I thank them for sharing Tom with a grateful nation,” Nielsen said.
Nielsen and Homan did not disagree on policy, according to people with knowledge of the situation, but Homan told people he did not think the secretary supported him.