RismadarVoice Reporters, May 6, 2026
Tensions inside the U.S. Department of Homeland Security escalated sharply earlier this year as senior immigration officials clashed over how to execute President Donald Trump’s renewed pledge to deport up to one million people within his first year back in office, according to accounts from officials familiar with internal discussions.
A February 2025 meeting reportedly became so strained that staff had to remove participants from the room to prevent further confrontation between top enforcement leaders. At the centre of the dispute were Caleb Vitello, then acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Rodney Scott, commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Scott, along with senior aides and newly appointed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, was backing an aggressive enforcement strategy internally referred to as a “master plan.” The proposal envisioned the creation of a centralised National Incident Command Centre that would integrate ICE, CBP, and elements of the Department of Defence to coordinate large-scale immigration operations across multiple U.S. cities.
The strategy focused heavily on individuals already under final orders of removal. Under the plan, federal agents would be directed to locate and enter the last known addresses without obtaining judicial warrants. Those detained would be processed through an accelerated deportation pathway with limited or no opportunity for appeal, according to officials familiar with the discussions.
Supporters of the approach argued it was designed to meet what the administration framed as a rapid enforcement target and to accelerate removals that were already legally ordered but not yet carried out. Internal projections suggested that roughly 700,000 individuals fell into this category.
However, Vitello raised significant objections during the meeting, warning that many of the listed addresses had not been verified recently. He also expressed concern that warrantless entries could increase the risk of mistakenly detaining U.S. citizens or others not subject to removal orders. Under standard procedure, warrants typically require judicial approval based on presented evidence before agents can enter private residences.
The disagreement reportedly intensified as Scott and his team pushed for rapid implementation. At one point, Scott was said to have struck a table in frustration as the discussion broke down. Vitello refused to yield, and the meeting ended abruptly after aides intervened to de-escalate the situation.
Following the confrontation, the dispute quickly reached senior leadership. Within days, Vitello was reassigned away from enforcement operations to oversee training for incoming ICE personnel. His position was later filled in an acting capacity by Todd Lyons, who subsequently announced plans to depart the agency.
The episode reflects broader internal divisions within federal immigration enforcement agencies as officials weigh how far to extend operational authority in pursuit of large-scale deportation targets. Critics of the approach have raised concerns about civil liberties and due process protections, particularly in scenarios involving warrantless enforcement actions.
Information has it that officials from DHS, ICE, and CBP did not respond to requests for comment regarding the meeting or subsequent personnel changes.
