By Steve Neavling
President Joe Biden plans to nominate Ed Gonzalez, a Texas sheriff and outspoken critic of Donald Trump’s immigration policies, to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the White House announced Tuesday.
Gonzalez was elected sheriff of Harris County, which includes Houston, in 2016 and reelected in 2020.
Gonzalez will likely face opposition from Republicans during his Senate confirmation hearing, which has not yet been set.
ICE has not had a permanent leader since 2017.
Gonzalez has criticized Trump’s deportation policies and the separation of migrant children from their families.
His law enforcement career began in the Houston Police Department, and he later served three terms on the Houston City Council.
Gonzalez has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Houston Downtown and a master’s degree from the University of St. Thomas.