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.

Who is Schroyer? 

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.

“Prior to his current role, he served as a Major at the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety over the Emergency Services Unit,” a DHS spokesperson wrote in an email. “In that capacity, he directed the operational activity of at least eight discrete specialized units tasked with recovering abducted children, disaster response, civil disturbance, immigration enforcement, dignitary protection, and threat assessment and rapid response.”

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.

Schroyer enters Mullin’s world

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.

“He’s the secretary’s good buddy,” the first source said.

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.

When Mullin took over for former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem this spring, then-acting ICE Director Todd Lyons made plans to retire in late May, setting up the search for a replacement.

ICE has not had a Senate-confirmed director since the end of the second Obama administration, more than nine years ago.

David Venturella, a longtime friend of White House border czar and former acting ICE Director Tom Homan, was temporarily moved to the position.

New ICE leader selected

As Trump searched for a permanent pick, Mullin, Homan, and White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller weighed in. Two sources said Trump’s selection of Schroyer blindsided Homan.

“This is Mullin’s guy,” said the first person, a former senior ICE official. “This is not who Homan wanted. This is someone Mullin can trust.”

Mullin himself came into his job as secretary with no background in homeland security, immigration, or border policy, forcing him to lean on those around him.

One senior administration official defended Mullin and said he believed the secretary had made “sensible decisions thus far” and trusted that Schroyer was the right person for the job.

Schroyer’s qualifications

Schroyer’s backers have touted him as someone experienced in 287(g) partnerships, the former senior ICE official said, adding, “That’s really not everything we do.”

DHS touted Schroyer’s career as being “defined by his dynamic leadership in uncertain conditions, operational expertise, and his ability to build multi-dimensional, mission-critical teams.”

However, the first source noted “lower-level ICE managers” had more experience in federal immigration law than Schroyer.

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council in Washington, noted that Schroyer’s selection goes against statutory requirements for the director of ICE to have five years of managerial experience.

“The ICE Director must have at least 5 years of law enforcement and managerial experience (this law uses old titles for the position),” Reichlin-Melnick posted on X. “But I suppose you’re right; if the President nominated a horse and the Senate confirmed it, nobody could stop it.”

Beyond the legal requirements, Reichlin-Melnick pointed out that state experience was different than federal experience.

“ICE is set to have 20,000 or more employees and a budget of over $20 billion a year, which is quite the step up for Mr. Schroyer, who has until now been a state trooper and never led a government agency, even at the municipal level,” Reichlin-Melnick said.

Despite Mullin’s connection to Schroyer, the White House rejected the idea that Schroyer was put forth with Mullin’s endorsement and said Trump’s selection of Schroyer was his decision and no one else’s.

“President Trump selects highly qualified nominees who will work tirelessly to implement the agenda 80 million Americans voted to enact,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said. “Anonymous sources who complain to the media won’t deter President Trump and his Administration from enforcing federal immigration law, deporting illegal aliens, and keeping our border secure.”

The Senate had not scheduled a confirmation hearing for Schroyer as of Wednesday. Regardless of whether Schroyer is confirmed, ICE officials suggested decisions are coming from Miller.

HAITIANS AND SYRIANS MUST SELF-DEPORT IN A MATTER OF HOURS OR FACE ICE

Recently, ICE began being required to report to the White House and DHS on the number of illegal immigrants it arrests daily. It has also had numerical mandates imposed for daily arrests.

“It continues to be, this is Stephen Miller,” the first source said. “He continues to drive the boat. He wants this.”