拜登政府选择了新任移民和海关执法局局长消息人士周三向美国广播公司证实。
职业ICE官员Patrick“p . j .”Lechleitner将成为该机构的代理主任，他在国土安全部工作了20多年。
莱赫莱特纳的前任代理导演泰·约翰逊上个月宣布退休。
作为21世纪初DHS的创始成员，莱赫莱特纳在国土安全调查局(ICE负责打击人口贩运和走私的部门)一路晋升。
“他是我寻求建议的人，我信任他的建议和指导，”HSI特工负责人斯科特·布朗在美国广播公司新闻的一份声明中说。“PJ明白了。他在各个层面都得到它。他有能力将该领域的日常挑战转化为可行的计划来应对这些挑战。”
最近几个月，DHS领导了一系列针对跨国毒品走私的行动，特别侧重于超致命的合成阿片类药物芬太尼。
据DHS称，作为最近打击行动的一部分，当局在两个月内缴获了近10，000磅芬太尼。
莱赫莱特纳的权限将比联邦执法机构高层的调查广泛得多，该机构具有很高的公众形象，但也一直是争议的避雷针，特别是在移民的倡导者中间。
在这张2022年9月13日的档案照片中，美国移民和海关执法局代理副局长Patrick J. Lechleitner在国土安全部副部长John K. Tien(左)和司法部刑事司助理司法部长Kenneth a . pleat Jr .的陪同下，在华盛顿特区司法部的新闻发布会上发表讲话
何塞·路易斯·马加纳/美联社，档案
部分是因为围绕该机构的两极分化，自巴拉克奥巴马(Barack Obama)担任总统以来，参议院尚未确认一名常任理事。
冰滞留在2020年受到了严密的审查在新冠肺炎·疫情的巅峰时期。
像美国公民自由联盟这样的公民自由组织经常对拘留期间的状况敲响警钟，并开始采取法律行动。
尽管通常是为试图逃避当局的个人保留的，ICE拘留并不要求与刑事监禁美国公民相同的刑事举证责任。
该机构还因如何处理被拘留的儿童移民等问题而受到批评。
莱赫莱特纳的前任约翰逊在2021年的一个众议院委员会面前作证说，移民和海关执法局的工作范围很广，该机构“致力于以人道、有效和专业的方式执行移民法。”
他说:“每天，ICE的20，000多名敬业、自豪的专业人员通过广泛执行400多项管理边境控制、海关、贸易和移民的联邦法律，努力促进国土安全和公共安全。”“我很自豪能与他们并肩作战。”
莱赫莱特纳的新职位是国土安全部移民机构领导层最新变动之一。多个消息来源告诉ABC新闻，美国边境巡逻队队长劳尔·奥尔蒂斯计划于周五退休。
DHS investigator takes over as acting director of ICE, nation's immigration agency
The Biden administration has selected thenew head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, sources confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday.
Patrick "P.J." Lechleitner, a career ICE official, will become acting director of the agency after more than 20 years with the Department of Homeland Security.
Lechleitner's predecessor as acting director, Tae Johnson, announced his retirement last month.
A founding member of DHS in the early 2000s, Lechleitner worked his way up through Homeland Security Investigations, the division of ICE responsible for combating human trafficking and smuggling.
"He is someone whose counsel I have sought, and whose advice and guidance I have trusted," HSI Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown said in a statement to ABC News. "PJ gets it. He gets it at all levels. He has the ability to translate the day-to-day challenges in the field into actionable plans to address those challenges."
DHS has led a series of operations in recent months targeting transnational narcotics smuggling with a particular focus on the ultra-deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl.
Authorities seized nearly 10,000 pounds of fentanyl over a two-month period as part of the recent crackdown, according to DHS.
Lechleitner's purview will be much broader than investigations at the top of a federal law enforcement agency with a high public profile but which has also been a lightning rod for controversy, particularly among migrants' advocates.
In part because of polarization around the agency, the Senate hasn't confirmed a permanent director since Barack Obama was president.
ICE detentioncame under close scrutiny in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Civil liberties groups like the ACLU regularly rang alarm bells about conditions while in custody and began taking legal action.
Although typically reserved for individuals who may attempt to evade authorities, ICE detention does not require the same criminal burdens of proof as required to criminally incarcerate U.S. citizens.
The agency has also been criticized for how it handles child migrants who are detained, among other issues.
Lechleitner's predecessor, Johnson, testified before a House committee in 2021 that ICE's work is broad and the agency is "committed to enforcing immigration laws humanely, effectively, with professionalism."
"Every day, the over 20,000 dedicated, proud, professionals at ICE work to promote homeland security and public safety through the broad enforcement of over 400 federal laws governing border control, customs, trade and immigration," he said. "I am proud to serve beside them."
Lechleitner's new role is among the latest in leadership changes at the Homeland Security immigration agencies. U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz plans to retire Friday, multiple sources told ABC News.
