Concerns Rise Over Trump Nomination of Oklahoma State Trooper to Lead ICE

President Donald Trump’s nomination of Oklahoma state trooper Lance Schroyer as director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been praised by politicians, but behind closed doors, it is being met with concern.

Several current and former federal officials familiar with Schroyer’s background and ties to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told the Washington Examiner this week that his nomination was a “mistake” that may do more to hurt Trump’s immigration agenda than help it.

“I think it’s a mistake,” one official said. “He’s never been a supervisor. Never been a boss. Never had a budget. Never worked with foreign partners. He’s only been a trooper. This could set things back. It can send things off the rails. It could be a new guy trying to show off and do his own thing. Senior leaders could say f*** it and leave or retire.”

Praise for Trump’s pick has rolled in from the Oklahoma governor, senators, and some Trump administration officials, but others say Schroyer’s lack of managerial experience, personal ties to Mullin, and inexperience in a federal position make him more of a liability than an asset.

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Schroyer has worked in local and state law enforcement since 1997, including in the Tulsa Police Department before joining the Oklahoma Highway Patrol in 2000.

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Trump said Saturday in a Truth Social post that Schroyer had “DECADES of experience locking up the worst of the worst, including spearheading 287g Law Enforcement partnerships with ICE!”

Schroyer was described by DHS as a state employee who worked on partnerships with federal immigration officials last year under the 287(g) program.

Section 287(g) gives ICE the authority to delegate specific immigration officer duties to state and local police. Counties and states can opt in at their discretion and have done so at extraordinarily high rates under Trump, leading to more illegal immigrant encounters.

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Two sources described Schroyer as a state trooper who met Mullin while he was detailed to provide security at the former senator’s Oklahoma house. The DHS confirmed Schroyer was previously assigned to a state police security detail for the senator.

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As secretary since late March, Mullin hired Schroyer and put him in a new role. Schroyer was seen traveling with Mullin and “carrying his briefcase” before Schroyer was abruptly promoted to senior adviser at DHS, according to the first source. A second person described Schroyer as Mullin’s tagalong on official travel.

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