DHSJohn Sandweg, acting ICE director, leaves post after five months

John Sandweg, the acting head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), on Friday informed agency employees hat he was leaving his post, to which he was appointed by Janet Napolitano last August.

Sandweg, an Arizona criminal defense attorney who knew Napolitano from her days in Arizona politics, came to Washington with her when she was became DHS secretary. His appointment to head ICE, the country’s second-largest law enforcement agency, was received with some surprise because his lack of law enforcement experience.

Fox News reports that Sandweg, who offered no explanation for his resignation, said he planned to return to the private sector.

“Over the past several months I had the opportunity to work alongside many of you,” he wrote in his message to agency employees. “I was always amazed by your dedication and commitment to the agency and our nation. Despite the challenges we face, you continue to push on, achieving remarkable security and public safety gains for our country.”

Representative John Carter (R-Texas), chairman of the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, said last August: “I am deeply disappointed by this appointment and believe it is disrespectful to the thousands of dedicated professionals at ICE who are working tirelessly to enforce our laws and provide for our security. I urge the administration to re-think this appointment and promptly appoint a qualified, confirmable applicant for this essential post.”

Other lawmakers, noting that Sandweg was a fund raiser for Napolitano’s campaigns from 2002 to 2009, said his appointment was an example of the agency’s “blatant politicization.”

Fox News notes that DHS secretary Jeh Johnson also sent an e-mail to ICE employees on Friday, in which he announced Sandweg’s departure and expressed his appreciation.

“On a personal note I would like to thank John for his work as I learned about the department during my confirmation process,” he wrote.

Johnson’s letter implied that Sandweg’s departure was in the planning for a while, and thanked him for “his decision to stay with the department through this transition.”

Fox News reports that critics of Sandweg also said he was involved in DHS efforts to block Freedom of Information Act requests relating to spending from the 2009 stimulus plan.

A 2011 report prepared for Representative Darrell Issa (R-California), the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, says that documents showed Sandweg, who was then senior adviser to Napolitano, was “responsible for halting releases on behalf of the [Office of the General Counsel] and the Office of the Secretary.”