ICE shakeup as Kristi Noem ally Madison Sheahan announces resignation
Madison Sheahan, the deputy director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has told leadership she will resign and launch a run for Congress in her home state of Ohio, the Daily Mail can exclusively reveal.
The 28-year-old is expected to make the announcement later Thursday morning, sources tell the Daily Mail.
In a glowing farewell email obtained by the Daily Mail, the outgoing ICE deputy confirmed her departure and praised President Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem for what she called their 'leadership' and 'steadfast commitment' to ICE, saying the agency had been 'empowered to put the safety and security of the American people first.'
'Together, we strengthened our agency, restored its purpose, and set a new standard for excellence,' Sheahan wrote, adding: 'The progress we achieved was driven by your determination, perseverance, and relentless spirit.'
Her decision comes amid a turbulent moment for the agency, which has been leading a massive crackdown on illegal immigration that has sparked protests nationwide, including the January 7 demonstration in Minneapolis that resulted in the death of protester Renee Nicole Good.
Sheahan, who previously served as secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, has been a close ally of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her senior adviser Corey Lewandowski.
ICE insiders told the Daily Mail that Sheahan was a polarizing figure in the department who earned the mocking nickname 'Fish Cop' for her prior experience in Louisiana.
'Most feared her because she had many employees reassigned, but few respected her,' one ICE source said.
ICE deputy director Madison Sheahan will leave her position to launch a run for Congress, the Daily Mail has learned
Sheahan's resignation comes at a volatile moment for ICE, which has been leading a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration that has sparked protests nationwide
'She was seen as very immature, someone who knew little about ICE and law enforcement and who was riding the coattails of Noem and (Louisiana Governor) Jeff Landry.'
Another insider said: 'This explains why she has been MIA since last week while everything has been happening in Minnesota. She was in Ohio making campaign videos.'
Noem, however, offered a ringing endorsement of Sheahan in a statement to the Daily Mail on Thursday.
'I've known her for years, she loves her family, Ohio and her country. She will be a great defender of freedom when she goes to Congress,' the DHS Secretary said.
'Madison Sheahan is a work horse, strong executor, and terrific leader who led the men and women of ICE to achieve the American people's mandate to target, arrest, and deport criminal illegal aliens. We wish her all the best.'
Sheahan was appointed less than a year ago by Noem to serve directly under ICE Director Todd Lyons, a close ally of Noem's chief rival, Trump border czar Tom Homan.
Homan and Noem have been locked in a power struggle inside Trump's second-term immigration apparatus, with Homan pushing aggressive, enforcement-first mass deportations while viewing Noem as slow and overly political, sources close to Homan have told the Daily Mail.
Sheahan was appointed in March 2025 by close ally DHS Secretary Kristi Noem
The rivalry has hardened as rank-and-file ICE agents and DHS officials increasingly align with Homan's hardline leadership style over Noem's public-facing approach at DHS.
Sheahan's departure indicates Noem's grip over the department may be slipping amid pressure from the White House to increase deportations.
On Wednesday, the Daily Mail revealed ICE has come under scrutiny by DHS watchdogs after Good's shooting death by ICE officer Jon Ross rattled national confidence in the agency.
Independent investigators inside the DHS's Office of Inspector General are now looking into whether the rush to hire 10,000 new agents as part of the agency's unprecedented crackdown on illegal immigration has led to dangerous shortcuts in vetting and training.
The investigation began in August but has taken on new urgency amid protests and controversy surrounding recent ICE enforcement actions.
Near-daily television news video showing agents roughing up protestors and a 21-year-old permanently losing his sight after an ICE agent fired a nonlethal round at close range during another demonstration in Santa Ana, California have added to public unease about the agency.
One poll showed 46% of people in the country want ICE to be completely abolished with another 12% being unsure.
ICE Special Response Team members are pictured demonstrating how to enter a residence in the pursuit of a wanted subject at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) in Brunswick, Georgia
A team of inspectors is set to make its first visit next week to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Georgia – where sources say new recruits are being fast-tracked.
The audit, which was initially stalled by DHS officials who were slow to turn over information to investigators, could take months to complete.
It will result in a report to Congress, though 'management alerts' can be sent as needed to address more pressing concerns, insiders explained.
'They're offering $50,000 incentives for people to sign up, dropping their vetting and fitness standards, and then not training them well,' one source told us about ICE's new recruits. 'This would appear to be a recipe for disaster.'
Another ICE insider told the Daily Mail that investigators are particularly interested in learning who made the decisions to lower training standards.
