NEW: Tensions Explode At ICE As Top Officials Fight Administration’s Deportation Strategy

A major shakeup is rocking U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as the Trump administration pushes for tougher deportation enforcement — sparking a turf war inside the Department of Homeland Security, four senior officials told Fox News.

The sweeping overhaul will replace top ICE leaders in at least eight cities with Border Patrol brass — a dramatic shift that’s exposing deep divisions over how aggressively to round up illegal immigrants.

The power struggle pits ICE Director Todd Lyons and Border Czar Tom Homan — who favor targeting criminal aliens and those with final deportation orders — against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, senior adviser Corey Lewandowski, and Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino, who want to go broader and faster.

Two senior officials described the mood as “tense” and “combative” when speaking with Fox News. One warned that the new approach risks blurring the line between ICE and Border Patrol operations.

“ICE started off with the worst of the worst, knowing every target they are hitting, but since Border Patrol came to LA in June, we’ve lost our focus, going too hard, too fast, with limited prioritization,” one senior DHS official told Fox. “It’s getting numbers, but at what cost?”

Border Czar Tom Homan during his tenure as ICE Director

Another official was even more blunt: “ICE is arresting criminal aliens. They [Border Patrol] are hitting Home Depots and car washes.”

Border Patrol agents are defending the crackdown. “What did everyone think mass deportations meant? Only the worst?” one agent told Fox News. “Tom Homan has said it himself — anyone in the U.S. illegally is on the table.”

Despite the aggressive push, deportation totals still fall short of the administration’s targets. The latest wave of reassignments affects ICE field chiefs in Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Denver, Portland, Philadelphia, El Paso, and New Orleans — roles expected to be filled by Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection officials.

A DHS official confirmed the personnel shuffle, calling it “performance-based” and aimed at “moving people around for the best results.”

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement: “While we have no personnel changes to announce at this time, the Trump administration remains laser focused on delivering results and removing violent criminal illegal aliens from this country.”

Download the FREE Trending Politics App to get the latest news FIRST >>