White House Taps Ronald Vitiello To Be Next Acting Director Of ICE

(Courtesy Bryan Cox/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via REUTERS)

The White House is set to appoint a new ICE director.

The Department of Homeland Security released a statement Saturday, saying Ronald Vitiello is being tapped as acting director.

Vitiello is currently the acting deputy commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

He’s been the leading official at the border in regard to the country’s current immigration crisis and recently spoke about the issue of child separation.

“We’re trying to discourage this activity,” said Vitiello.  There are loopholes in the law that don’t allow us to hold people for more than 20 days that’s a matter of immigration law, so were trying to address this. We know that when people have a consequence for illegal activity they do less of it and that’s what we’re trying to accomplish here.”

DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen says the new nominee has the leadership needed to accomplish the crucial national security missions facing the country today.