Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has named Charles Wall as the new deputy director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), replacing Madison Sheahan, who stepped down to run for Congress.
Wall, previously the agency's principal legal adviser, has worked at ICE since 2012 and will serve as second-in-command to acting director Todd Lyons. Noem praised Wall as a 'forward leaning, strategic thinker' focused on removing 'murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists'.
Sheahan announced her departure on X, thanking ICE staff and stating her pride in protecting American families. She plans to challenge Democratic Representative Marcy Kaptur in Ohio's 9th congressional district.
The shake-up comes as ICE faces intense scrutiny over the death of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother-of-three shot by agent Jonathan Ross during a raid in Minneapolis on 7 January. The incident, caught on video, sparked widespread protests across the US.
Further clashes on Wednesday in Minneapolis left a man shot in the leg, with police using flashbang grenades and teargas to disperse demonstrators. Mayor Jacob Frey called the tensions 'unsustainable', while Governor Tim Walz accused ICE of 'organised brutality'.
A new CNN/SSRS poll found that more than half of Americans believe ICE activities make their cities less safe.
