By Blessing Nweke
Longtime immigration official David Venturella has been selected to lead the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency following the announced departure of acting director Todd Lyons, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Venturella previously served as executive director of ICE’s Secure Communities program, which focused on identifying immigrants living in the United States illegally who were already in the custody of local or state law enforcement agencies. Under the program, fingerprints collected during jail bookings were shared with federal authorities to check immigration status.
The Secure Communities initiative was discontinued in 2014 by then-Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson during the administration of Barack Obama. Officials at the time argued the policy damaged trust between immigrant communities and local police departments. The program was reinstated in 2017 after Donald Trump signed an executive order during his first term.
Venturella also worked for private prison company GEO Group as senior vice president of client relations until 2023. Public records show the company holds more than $1 billion in ICE contracts. After retiring from the firm, Venturella continued advising GEO Group as a consultant on new and existing contracts, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
His appointment comes as the Trump administration continues pursuing aggressive immigration enforcement policies, including large-scale crackdowns in cities such as Minneapolis, Chicago and Los Angeles. Critics have condemned tactics used during the operations, particularly after two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot by federal officers in Minneapolis.
Democratic lawmakers, including Delia Ramirez, sharply criticized Venturella’s selection, accusing the administration of prioritizing detention industry interests over immigrant communities.
Original article
Comments