APNewsBreak: White House withdraws nomination to lead ICE

Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune



By COLLEEN LONG Associated Press
April 4, 2019 — 11:05pm


WASHINGTON — The White House on Thursday withdrew the nomination of a longtime border official to lead U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as the Trump administration grapples with a massive increase in Southern border crossings that are straining the system with no easy solution, according to people with knowledge of the move.

The paperwork on Ron Vitiello was sent to members of Congress Thursday, the people said, and the decision was unexpected and met with confusion. Vitiello had been scheduled to travel with President Donald Trump to the border on Friday, but was no longer going, one official said. He will still remain acting director, they said.

One Homeland Security official insisted it was nothing but a paperwork error that had later been corrected. But other, higher-level officials said the move did not appear to be a mistake, even though they were not informed ahead of time.


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He had been acting head since June 2018, nominated in August, had a Senate confirmation hearing in November and his nomination had passed one Senate panel, the people said. But because Homeland Security touches on so many topics, a second committee also had jurisdiction and his nomination was still under discussion there. Some Democrats had concerns, and a union representing some ICE agents had opposed his nomination.

Department of Homeland Security officials referred questions to the White House, which did not respond to multiple requests for comment........................................

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/apnewsbreak-white-house-pulls-nomination-for-ice-director/508143272/