In a surprise, Trump announces ICE choice

WASHINGTON >> President Donald Trump on Sunday announced his choice to lead U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, tapping a former FBI official who frequently appears on cable news advocating for the president’s immigration policies.

In a tweet, Trump called Mark Morgan, who briefly ran the U.S. Border Patrol under President Barack Obama, “a true believer and an American Patriot. He will do a great job!”

Trump, who has made tougher immigration enforcement a pillar of his presidential campaign and his administration, recently pulled the nomination of his previous choice to run ICE, saying he wanted to go in “a tougher direction.”

In Morgan, Trump has found a vocal advocate for some of his positions, particularly the construction of a wall on the border with Mexico.

Morgan has said such a wall would be an effective way to reduce illegal border crossings.

Trump’s Twitter announcement that Morgan “will be joining the Trump Administration as the head of our hard working men and women of ICE” caught White House aides and Homeland Security Department officials by surprise.

They had not been informed that Morgan was Trump’s choice, and at ICE, senior leaders learned of the decision from his tweet, according to two senior administration officials.

It was not immediately clear whether Trump had formally nominated Morgan or plans to do so.

The position of ICE director requires Senate confirmation, but some Homeland Security officials speculated that Morgan would be named deputy director, a role that does not require confirmation, and he would lead the agency in an acting capacity as ICE’s de facto senior leader.

Trump has said he likes having agency leaders in an acting role because it gives him more flexibility to change personnel if they do not perform to his liking.