Kristi Noem announced Charles Wall as ICE Deputy Director, effective immediately, following the sudden resignation of a senior official. Wall, an ICE attorney since 2012, served as Principal Legal Advisor and previously worked as a prosecutor in New Orleans. Madison Sheahan resigned to run for Congress in Ohio and was publicly praised by Noem. Protests have intensified in Minneapolis after recent shootings involving federal agents, and a new poll shows support for abolishing ICE has risen markedly.
ICE Names Charles Wall Deputy Director After Sudden Resignation
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on X that Charles Wall has been named Deputy Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), effective immediately, following the unexpected resignation of a senior agency official.
Appointment and Role
Noem wrote on X: "Effective immediately, Charles Wall will serve as the Deputy Director of @ICEgov." Wall will serve as second-in-command to Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons.
Professional Background
Wall has been with ICE since 2012. He most recently served as Principal Legal Advisor in ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA), representing the agency in deportation proceedings. He began his ICE career as an Assistant Chief Counsel in New Orleans. Before joining ICE, Wall worked as a prosecutor and senior assistant district attorney in New Orleans.
Wall will serve as deputy director under acting ICE director Todd Lyons. / Jamie Kelter Davis/Getty Images
Noem’s Statement
Noem credited Wall with playing “a key role in helping us deliver historic results in arresting and removing the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from American neighborhoods.” She added, “Mr. Wall has served as an ICE attorney for 14 years and is a forward leaning, strategic thinker who understands the importance of prioritizing the removal of murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists from our country.”
Context of the Leadership Change
The appointment follows the resignation of Madison Sheahan, who left her ICE post to focus on launching a congressional campaign in Ohio. In a statement to the Daily Beast, Noem praised Sheahan as “a work horse, strong executor, and terrific leader,” and said she expects Sheahan to be “a great defender of freedom when she goes to Congress.”
Sheahan joined ICE in March 2025 after serving as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and as a political aide to Noem in South Dakota. In a farewell post on X, Sheahan thanked Noem and President Donald Trump and wrote that she is proud of the work done to protect American families and grateful for ICE personnel.
Controversy and Public Reaction
A still from Madison Sheahan's slick Ohio congress run promo. / Madison Sheahan
Protests against ICE have continued in several cities, especially Minneapolis, after recent deadly and injurious shootings involving federal agents. One high-profile incident cited in coverage involved an ICE agent, Jonathan Ross, who shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good on Jan. 7; another report described a federal agent shooting a Venezuelan immigrant, further intensifying demonstrations.
Public Opinion
Recent polling cited in coverage indicates a shift in public sentiment: roughly 46% of Americans now support abolishing ICE, up from about 19% in September 2024.
Additional Note
Acting Director Todd Lyons previously attracted attention for suggesting the possibility of restructuring deportation programs to operate with faster, more streamlined processes, a remark that drew scrutiny and public debate.
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