Donald Trump’s cadre of border agents taking Washington’s top jobs

President-elect Donald Trump has announced a series of new nominations and appointments to his Homeland Security team as he begins to shape his hardline immigration agenda.

Rodney S. Scott has been nominated as commissioner of Customs and Border Patrol, Caleb Vitello was appointed as acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Brandon Judd was nominated as ambassador to Chile and Tony Salisbury was appointed as deputy Homeland Security advisor.

The cadre of officials will take on key positions in Washington under the incoming administration, and bring decades of on-the-ground experience.

Trump secured a victory in the 2024 election with immigration policy at the forefront of his bid for the White House, vowing to carry out the largest mass deportation program in U.S. history.

“On day one of my new administration, I will stop all migrant flights. I will shut down all entries through the migrant phone app. I will end catch-and-release. I will restore Remain in Mexico … we will seal the border,” he told MAGA supporters at a Wisconsin campaign rally in September.

Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump transition, told Newsweek: “President Trump was given a mandate by the American people to stop the invasion of illegal immigrants, secure the border, and deport dangerous criminals and terrorists that make our communities less safe. He will deliver.”

This group, largely shaped by the tough approach of the first Trump administration, signals a move back toward hardline immigration policies, with Caleb Vitello at the helm of ICE, Tom Homan as border czar, and Rodney Scott influencing national strategy.

Here’s what to know about Trump’s immigration team.

Caleb Vitello

Vitello, the newly appointed acting director of ICE, brings 23 years of experience with the agency and has held pivotal roles in deportation efforts targeting illegal immigrants.

His extensive background includes leading ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), where he oversaw critical enforcement activities and strategic operations. Trump highlighted Vitello’s contributions to immigration enforcement in his announcement.

“A member of the Senior Executive Service, with over 23 years of service to ICE, Caleb currently serves as Assistant Director of the Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs, where he oversees Agency-wide training, equipment, and policy to ensure Officer and Public Safety,” Trump noted in his statement on Truth Social.

Before joining ICE, Vitello worked on the White House National Security Council as the Director for Interior Enforcement, where he spearheaded a child and welfare safety initiative, among other responsibilities, according to his official biography.

“Caleb’s exceptional leadership, extensive experience, and commitment to ICE’s mission make him an excellent choice to implement my efforts to enhance the safety and security of American communities who have been victimized by illegal alien crime,” Trump also wrote of Vitello.

Rodney Scott

Scott has been nominated as the commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Scott served nearly three decades in the Border Patrol, helping implement policies such as Remain-in-Mexico, Title 42, and Safe Third Agreements.

Beginning his career in 1992 at the Imperial Beach Station in San Diego, Scott later served as an Anti-Terrorism Advisor to the CBP Commissioner and Deputy Executive Director of CBP’s Office of Anti-Terrorism. He also held leadership roles as Chief Patrol Agent for the El Centro and San Diego Sectors before overseeing 22,000 personnel as Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol.

Since retiring, Scott has remained outspoken on border security.

“I personally witnessed the unprecedented seismic shift in border security and immigration policy that was initiated by the Biden administration,” he said at a House Judiciary Committee hearing in May 2023.

“I observed and experienced the rapid degradation of our border security from order to total chaos firsthand,” Scott told Committee members.

“During my tenure as chief, the Biden administration’s team at DHS was laser-focused on expediting the processing and flow of migrants into the U.S. They downplayed or completely refused to accept the significant vulnerability this creates for terrorists, narcotics smugglers, human traffickers, and even hostile nations to gain access to our homeland,” Scott testified.

Brandon Judd

Trump also announced Brandon Judd as his nominee for U.S. ambassador to Chile.

Judd spent nearly 30 years with the Border Patrol, holding multiple positions and working in states like Arizona, California, Maine and Montana.

He also led the National Border Patrol Council, representing about 18,000 agents and support personnel, before officially retiring from the role in May.

“Under the Trump administration, we are just going right back to Remain In Mexico. No one is going to be released into the United States,” he told Fox News in December.

However, Republican senators have told Newsweek that policy will take time to reinstate.

Judd has also been highly critical of the Biden administration’s immigration policies.

“Biden is only worried about his political future. The safety and security of his fellow Americans is secondary to that goal,” Judd wrote in a Fox News opinion piece in February.

“Tragically, we’ve witnessed the catastrophic outcome of his self-centered policy decisions for over three years now.”

Anthony Salisbury

Trump selected Salisbury to serve as the deputy Homeland Security Advisor on the White House Homeland Security Council.

“Tony will bring his vast Law Enforcement, counter-narcotics, and counter-cartel experience to the White House where he will serve under Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor,” Trump said in a Thursday night Truth Social post.

Salisbury currently serves as the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Miami.

“Tony manages all of HSI’s complex Federal Law Enforcement investigative programs related to National Security and smuggling violations, including counter-proliferation, financial crimes, commercial fraud, human trafficking, human smuggling, narcotics smuggling, transnational gangs, cyber-crimes, child exploitation, worksite enforcement and document and benefit fraud,” Trump said.

Tom Homan

Homan, Trump’s brash former ICE chief, was among the president-elect’s first nominees for the newly created border czar role.

Homan, who was acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement from 2017 to 2018, is a key figure behind the controversial family separation policy.

“I’m sick and tired of hearing about the family separation,” Homan said. “I’m still being sued over that.” He added, “I don’t give a s***, right? Bottom line is, we enforced the law.”

With over 30 years in law enforcement, including roles in both Border Patrol and ICE, Homan became a polarizing figure, drawing both support and criticism. After leaving government, he became a prominent commentator, particularly on conservative media, and worked with The Heritage Foundation on immigration policy, including Project 2025’s proposals for mass deportation.

Homan will be leading the charge behind the controversial mass deportation policy.

“Trump comes back in January; I’ll be on his heels coming back, and I will run the biggest deportation force this country has ever seen,” Homan told a panel on immigration policy in July.