By Steve Neavling
Patrick “P.J.” Lechleitner, a former police officer who served in key leadership positions for Homeland Security Investigations, has been tapped to serve as acting ICE director, according to a notice sent to congressional staffers that was obtained by CNN.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas made the appointment.
“In compliance with legal requirements, Mr. Lechleitner will serve in his new leadership role as the Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director. Prior to this new position, Mr. Lechleitner led Homeland Security Investigations,” the notice stated.
The change in leadership comes about three weeks after the announcement that ICE Director Tae Johnson was retiring.
Lechleitner was one of the founding members of DHS in the early 2000s and served in “key leadership positions” for HSI, according to his ICE biography.
“He is someone whose counsel I have sought, and whose advice and guidance I have trusted,” HSI Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown said in a statement to ABC News. “PJ gets it. He gets it at all levels. He has the ability to translate the day-to-day challenges in the field into actionable plans to address those challenges.”
ICE has not had a permanent leader since Barack Obama was president.
Johnson was the second high-ranking immigration official to announce his retirement over the past month. U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz said last month that he plans to retire at the end of June, less than two years after he took the helm.
The retirements come amid a major policy shift to deter illegal crossings at the border following the expiration of Title 41, a pandemic-era public health restriction that helped turn back migrants.
