photo #9147019

ICE Chief QUITS after deadly crackdowns and record deaths of detainees in custody. But quitting early won't keep him safe from accountability -- he will still be pursued by future administrations for his role in ICE's atrocities.Todd Lyons is stepping down as acting director of ICE after months of escalating controversy, deadly enforcement operations, and the highest number of deaths in agency custody in its history. His final day is set for May 31, 2026.Lyons led ICE through a massive expansion under Trump, fueled by new congressional funding that increased hiring, detention, and arrests nationwide. That push exploded into high-profile raids in cities like Chicago and Minneapolis, operations that ended only after outrage over the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers.Under oath, Lyons admitted that at least 44 people have died in ICE custody since he took over in March 2025, the highest total the agency has ever recorded.When pressed in Congress about those deaths, he refused accountability.Lyons: I welcome the opportunity to speak to Renee Good's family in private. But I’m not going to comment on any active investigation.But it's not her family we wanted him talking to. It was a grand jury.This is the same agency that signed off on sweeping powers allowing officers to enter homes without a judge’s warrant.Polling showed more and more Americans -- the clear majority -- held an unfavorable view of ICE during his tenure.This resignation is not closure. It is the result of policies that pushed enforcement past legal and moral limits, while leadership refused responsibility.