Outgoing acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director P.J. Lechleitner expressed strong criticism of the Biden administration’s delayed efforts to secure the U.S.-Mexico border. In an interview with NBC News, Lechleitner stated that “career people” at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) believe President Joe Biden should have acted sooner to address illegal immigration challenges.
Lechleitner highlighted significant resource constraints within ICE, noting that staff were often diverted to assist Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which hampered ICE’s ability to fulfill its primary mission. Biden’s executive actions in June to limit asylum claims from those crossing the border illegally led to a sharp decline in illegal border crossings by September, with numbers falling to 54,000—the lowest since Biden took office. This trend continued with 46,000 crossings reported in November.
Lechleitner emphasized that ICE has long struggled with inadequate funding, which limited its ability to deport more than the 47,000 immigrants removed in fiscal 2024. He stressed that additional resources are essential to enhance detention and removal operations. “We’re burning hot,” Lechleitner said, citing the agency’s current maximum capacity.
The outgoing director also called for greater transparency from the administration on immigration issues, advocating for ICE to engage more openly with the public to dispel misinformation. He criticized restrictions that prevented his team from holding regular press briefings, leaving Americans uninformed about enforcement challenges.
Lechleitner expressed frustration with sanctuary city policies that prevent local authorities from cooperating with ICE. He argued that such policies jeopardize public safety by shielding individuals who pose national security threats. “Why can’t we just cooperate and do this to protect the American public?” he said.
While Lechleitner acknowledged bipartisan challenges in addressing immigration issues, he urged future administrations to prioritize increased funding and personnel for DHS. He also warned that targeting migrants with criminal records will require significant resources.
Lechleitner, a DHS veteran since its inception in 2003, concluded by emphasizing the importance of robust public support and political will to address the ongoing border crisis.
