On Tuesday, President Joe Biden announced his intention to nominate Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, a Democrat, to lead the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
If approved, he would replace outgoing ICE Acting Director Tae Johnson.
Members of Biden’s cabinet are already praising the move, with Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, who helps oversee ICE, calling it a “strong choice.”
Mayorkas went on to praise Gonzalez further, claiming he is “well suited to lead ICE as the agency advances our public safety and homeland security mission.”
In the news release, the White House mentioned Gonzalez’ leadership of Texas’ largest sheriff’s office and how he began his career in the Houston Police Department. Gonzalez has also served three terms on the Houston City Council. He was elected to his post as sheriff in 2016.
A vocal opponent of ICE’s efforts in recent years, Gonzalez has been tapped to lead the agency he once fought to subvert and obstruct.
During President Donald Trump’s administration, Gonzalez ended his department’s cooperation and training with ICE, effectively making Harris County a “sanctuary county” for illegal aliens.
In 2019, he condemned ICE’s plan to arrest vast numbers of illegal aliens, complaining that planned raids would “drive undocumented families further into the shadows,” make victims less likely to report crimes, and undermine community trust.
Gonzalez’ nomination is subject to confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
