Behind the closed doors of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a fierce power struggle is unfolding—one that could reshape the future of U.S. immigration enforcement. Despite public assurances of unity, senior officials are locked in a contest for control, while new initiatives spark controversy and concern across the country.
On November 4, 2025, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem forcefully rejected media reports suggesting unrest within her department. The catalyst? The reassignment of roughly a dozen Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field directors to roles under Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials. "Absolutely false," Noem declared, insisting that the administration was "thrilled" with the combined efforts of ICE and CBP to "help clean up our streets," according to NewsNation. But insiders paint a different picture, describing mounting tension and uncertainty over who truly wields operational authority in the current administration.
Multiple sources close to the White House told NewsNation that, behind the scenes, a rivalry is brewing between senior White House adviser Corey Lewandowski and White House Border Czar Tom Homan. Four officials from both the White House and DHS, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that these clashes have created confusion over who is actually directing immigration enforcement. One source went so far as to describe Lewandowski as the "shadow leader of DHS," noting that he has reportedly acted as Noem's de facto chief of staff since January 2025, operating under a special government employee status.
Amid these internal disputes, the pressure to raise deportation numbers has only intensified. Although officials have publicly denied the existence of specific detention or removal "quotas," a figure of 3,000 daily migrant arrests since January 2025 has been cited by senior staff. According to NewsNation, this drive for higher numbers was a key factor in the leadership shake-ups, which saw ICE field leaders in Denver, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and San Diego temporarily replaced by senior Border Patrol agents. The Associated Press later confirmed that as many as 12 directors—nearly half of ICE’s nationwide leadership—had been reassigned.
In a statement shared with NewsNation, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons defended the partnership between his agency and DHS: "ICE and DHS have never had a closer working relationship. I am proud of the work we have done together for President Trump and Secretary Noem. Mr. Lewandowski has been a force in helping to ensure the men and women of law enforcement have the resources and support they need to do their jobs." Still, the friction between ICE and CBP remains palpable, with both agencies vying for primacy in President Donald Trump's interior enforcement campaign.
The Washington Examiner reported last week that this turf war is widening, with CBP and ICE at odds over who is best positioned to lead the enforcement effort. Some Border Patrol agents criticized ICE for being unable to meet the demands of increased arrests, while ICE officials, in turn, blamed the Border Patrol for past failures during the Biden administration. One ICE official told the Examiner, "Border Patrol let tens of millions of illegal aliens flow across the border during 4 years under Biden. Almost every illegal alien ICE has arrested in the interior who came in during those years was handed a piece of paper by Border Patrol and sent on their merry way to a U.S. city near you. Border Patrol created this mess, and ICE is cleaning it up."
Amid this backdrop of infighting and shifting leadership, the Trump administration is rolling out new strategies to tighten immigration enforcement—particularly targeting minors who entered the country alone. On November 6, 2025, it was revealed that ICE will open a national call center in Nashville, Tennessee, equipped with a dedicated unit to track unaccompanied migrant children. This move is part of a broader crackdown on migrants who entered the United States illegally as minors, a policy direction set in February 2025 when the administration instructed immigration agents to specifically target these children.
Government data show the scale of the challenge: since 2019, more than 600,000 children have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border alone, without a parent or legal guardian. The new Nashville-based call center will leverage data from local and state law enforcement agencies to inform federal authorities about the whereabouts of these unaccompanied children. While the official government document announcing the center did not explain why Nashville was chosen, NBC News noted that CoreCivic—a major ICE contractor operating immigrant detention centers—is headquartered in the city. Neither DHS, ICE, nor CoreCivic responded to requests for comment before publication.
The plan has drawn sharp criticism from immigrant rights advocates. Michael Lukens, executive director of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, told ABC News, "There are a host of federal laws and programs that purport to protect unaccompanied children, which this administration has been actively attempting to dismantle." He went on to say, "The center will not protect children. It will only serve to make it easier to deport them." Lukens’ concerns echo broader fears among advocacy groups that the administration’s approach is eroding long-standing protections for vulnerable minors.
The debate over how best to enforce immigration laws—and who should be in charge—has been further complicated by speculation about the possible merger of ICE and CBP. The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 has advocated for such a consolidation, arguing that it would streamline enforcement operations. However, as the Washington Examiner pointed out, merging the two agencies would require an act of Congress, making it far from a foregone conclusion.
For now, the struggle for influence within DHS continues to play out in both public and private arenas. Secretary Noem maintains that her department is united and effective, but the persistent reports of internal friction and rapid policy shifts suggest a more turbulent reality. The reassignment of nearly half of ICE’s field directors, the creation of the Nashville call center, and the ongoing battle over operational authority all point to a department at a crossroads, grappling with both external challenges and internal divisions.
As the administration presses forward with its aggressive enforcement agenda, the stakes remain high—not just for agency officials and law enforcement, but for the hundreds of thousands of migrant children and families whose lives are shaped by these policies. The coming months will reveal whether DHS can resolve its internal conflicts and deliver on its promises—or whether the struggle for control will continue to cast a shadow over America’s immigration system.
