The Insurrection Papers: ICE ICE Baby

On top of firing and replacing acting Attorney General Sally Yates, Donald Trump appointed Thomas Homan as acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director. Shortly after firing Yates after she told the Department of Justice to not defend Trump's temporary immigration ban, Trump also dismissed acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Daniel Ragsdale, whom Holman is replacing. However, the Department of Homeland Security's official statement from Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly does not mention Ragsdale's name, nor does it give a reason for the replacement.

Thomas D. Homan

Acting Director

Thomas D. Homan is the acting Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the principal investigative agency of the Department of Homeland Security. He became acting Director on January 30, 2017.

In his capacity as acting Director, Mr. Homan advances ICE’s mission to promote homeland security and public safety through the criminal and civil enforcement of approximately 400 federal laws governing border control, customs, trade and immigration.

Since 2013, Mr. Homan has served as the executive associate director of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). In this capacity, he led ICE’s efforts to identify, arrest, detain, and remove illegal aliens, including those who present a danger to national security or are a risk to public safety, as well as those who enter the United States illegally or otherwise undermine the integrity of our immigration laws and our border control efforts.

Mr. Homan is a 33-year veteran of law enforcement and has nearly 30 years of immigration enforcement experience. He has served as a police officer in New York; a U.S. Border Patrol agent; a special agent with the former U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service; as well as supervisory special agent and deputy assistant director for investigations at ICE. In 1999, Mr. Homan became the assistant district director for investigations (ADDI) in San Antonio, Texas, and three years later transferred to the ADDI position in Dallas, Texas.

Upon the creation of ICE, Mr. Homan was named as the assistant agent in charge in Dallas. In March 2009, Mr. Homan accepted the position of assistant director for enforcement within ERO at ICE headquarters and was subsequently promoted to deputy executive associate director of ERO.

Mr. Homan holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and received the Presidential Rank Award in 2015 for his exemplary leadership and extensive accomplishments in the area of immigration enforcement.

Matthew T. Albence

Executive Associate Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations

Matthew T. Albence is the Executive Associate Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Washington, D.C. As EAD, Mr. Albence leads ERO in its mission to identify, arrest, and remove aliens who present a danger to national security or are a risk to public safety, as well as those who enter the United States illegally or otherwise undermine the integrity of our immigration laws and our border control efforts. He was appointed EAD in February 2017.

Mr. Albence leads an organization of more than 7,600 employees, which includes more than 5,700 Deportation Officers assigned to 24 ERO field offices, and overseas locations in 19 countries.

Prior to his current role, since January 2013, Mr. Albence served as the Assistant Director for the ERO Enforcement Division. He was responsible for all ERO enforcement programs and initiatives, to include the Criminal Alien Program, the National Fugitive Operations Program, Field Training, the 287(g) Program, the Law Enforcement Support Center, the Pacific Enforcement Response Center, the Fugitive Operations Support Center, and the National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center.

Mr. Albence has over 23 years of federal law enforcement experience. In 1994, he began his career in San Antonio as a Special Agent with the former U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS). In 1999, he was promoted to Supervisory Special Agent, San Antonio. Mr. Albence’s supervisory experience includes positions as Supervisory Special Agent, San Antonio; Deputy Assistant Director for Investigations, Chicago; Associate Special Agent in Charge, Chicago; Deputy Special Agent in Charge, Detroit; Unit Chief for the ICE Office of Investigations Training Academy, Glynco; TSA Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the South Central Regional Field Office and Deputy Assistant Director for the ERO Criminal Alien Division.

Mr. Albence received a B.S. in Justice and a M.S. in Administration of Justice. He is a member of the Senior Executive Service.