ICE Head John Morton Reportedly Stepping Down

Reuters reports that director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, John Morton, has said that he will step down at the end of July to go to the private sector after heading the agency for four years. Morton made the announcement in an internal message to employees.  Morton has served as director of ICE, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, since May 2009.

Under Morton’s leadership, ICE has set records for numbers of deportations and has championed the Secure Communities program requiring state and local law enforcement to coperate with U.S. immigration authorities. He also has been instrumental in encouraging the use of prosecutorial discretion in the institution of removal proceedings and in implementing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.   

KJ