Fox News reported on X that Michael Banks, the chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, has resigned. DHS and U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not immediately comment. The resignation arrives amid an expanded immigration enforcement push since President Trump took office in 2025, including increased arrests and the removal of legal status for many migrants. It is unclear who will replace Banks or when the change will take effect.
U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks Resigns Amid Intensified Immigration Enforcement
U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks speaks at the U.S.-Mexico border near Nogales, Arizona, U.S., February 4, 2026. REUTERS/Rebecca Noble
WASHINGTON — Michael Banks, the chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, has resigned, Fox News reported in a post on X on Thursday. The outlet did not provide further details about the timing or reasons for his departure.
The Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The resignation comes as the federal government has tightened immigration enforcement since President Donald Trump took office in 2025. The administration has stepped up arrests of people living in the U.S. without legal status, increased crackdowns on unlawful border crossings and moved to strip legal protections from hundreds of thousands of migrants.
It was not yet clear who would fill the leadership role at the Border Patrol or when a successor would be named. Reuters reporters Katharine Jackson and Daphne Psaledakis contributed to this report. Editing by David Ljunggren.
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