President Donald Trump's immigration troopers are turning on him, according to a new report.
Officials within the Department of Homeland Security are fuming over his pick to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement — and thrilled Oklahoma state trooper Lance Schroyer’s nomination has stalled in the Senate, Politico reported Sunday.
"We don’t need him," an official told Politico. "Leave us alone... people need to stop telling us how to do what we do best.”
Six officials and other sources told Politico the preferred pick is acting director Dave Venturella, an ally of border czar Tom Homan.
Schroyer’s nomination currently stands in limbo as Senate Homeland Security Chair Rand Paul's (R-KY) demands the administration share information about probes into the violent deaths of two American citizens at ICE's hands.
Despite these challenges, Schroyer remains the president’s nominee to lead ICE, the White House told Politico.
Trump's decision to nominate Schroyer, a longtime associate of Secretary Markwayne Mullin, spurred a backlash from immigration hawks in June, according to the report.
That's because, as The Oversight Project president Mike Howell told Politico, Schroyer lacks a record on deportations.
“If the whole point was to have someone with no immigration enforcement background either ideologically, politically or operationally as secretary, then it’s kind of odd to have a similar person as the head of ICE,” Howell said.
Another official characterized Mullin's pushing Schroyer into the position as a misstep.
"[That] shows how out of touch Mullin is," an official told Politico. "That’s not even JV level for literally the most important job in the admin that remains unfilled."