President Donald Trump reportedly was caught off guard after learning from people outside his administration that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had been directed to suspend most vehicle stops, then quickly ordered the policy reversed to preserve what he considers one of the agency's most effective immigration enforcement tools.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and acting ICE Director David Venturella approved the temporary pause Monday after two fatal shootings during immigration enforcement operations sparked public backlash and concern from some lawmakers.
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But before Mullin could brief Trump, news of the decision leaked and was amplified by cable television coverage and criticism from prominent conservative allies, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
Among those criticizing the move was conservative attorney Mike Davis, who argued on social media that the suspension undermined Trump's immigration agenda and suggested Mullin should leave his post.
The Journal reported Trump viewed the pause as making his administration appear weak on border security, one of his signature issues.
CNN reported neither Mullin nor White House border czar Tom Homan informed Trump before the guidance was issued.
After seeing media coverage suggesting his administration was backing away from aggressive immigration enforcement, Trump became furious and early Wednesday ordered the policy reversed through a Truth Social post.
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"We must be strong, tough, and smart, and we CANNOT give up one of I.C.E.'s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools," Trump wrote, rejecting what he portrayed as a concession the "Radical Left Dumocrats" wanted.
Axios reported Trump's reversal highlighted a growing debate inside the administration over balancing officer safety following recent shootings with the president's push for tougher immigration enforcement and higher deportation numbers.
The outlet said Trump complained to advisers Tuesday night before publicly overturning the guidance the next morning.
After the reversal, Mullin emphasized he was fully aligned with the president.
"President Trump and I are on the same page," Mullin wrote on X. "We want our ICE officers to have all options available to keep them safe while executing our mission of deporting as many illegal alien criminals from our country as possible."
The temporary pause followed fatal ICE-related shootings in Houston and Biddeford, Maine, prompting DHS to review procedures and accelerate deployment of body cameras.
But with ICE under pressure to maintain roughly 2,000 arrests a day, the administration ultimately opted to restore vehicle stops while continuing to evaluate officer training and safety measures.
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