Outgoing ICE director: Biden should have tightened border security sooner

The outgoing head of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) said in an interview Wednesday that President Biden should have tightened border security sooner.

“Do you think that Biden should’ve taken that action earlier?” NBC News’s Julia Ainsley asked acting ICE Director Patrick Lechleitner in an interview that aired on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” referring to executive action the president moved forward with in June to turn away some migrants seeking asylum who crossed the southern border illegally.

“Yes, yes,” Lechleitner cut in. “Absolutely yes, he should’ve. … The administration should’ve taken that action earlier. And I think the career people in [the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)] would have liked that.”

The June executive order from Biden takes effect if average daily border crossings between ports of entry go higher than 2,500. The order came at a time when the president was facing deep criticism over his handling of the southern border.

Senior administration officials sought to depict the order as a response to a lack of action on Congress’s part, following a bipartisan framework in the Senate being blocked by Republicans.

“I don't know if anybody in DHS wouldn't’ve wanted that earlier,” Lechleitner said in his interview with Ainsley of the June order. “You know, maybe there's some counselors here or there that don't like this kinda stuff, but law enforcement is always going to be on that side where we want … some tighter controls.”

President-elect Trump has vowed to deport millions of people who are in the country illegally and reshape the immigration system, often railing against illegal immigration on the campaign trail during his 2024 bid for the presidency.

“You have no choice. First of all, they’re costing us a fortune. But we’re starting with the criminals, and we’ve got to do it. And then we’re starting with others, and we’re going to see how it goes,” Trump said during an interview with NBC News’s Kristen Welker that aired last month.

The White House has been contacted by The Hill for comment.