ImmigrationICE appoints first immigration advocate

Earlier this week the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency announcedthat it had appointed Andrew Lorenzen-Straight as its new public advocate to handle all questions and complaints about immigration policy.

John Morton, the director of ICE, said the position was created to help the public and immigration advocates better understand the agency’s many policy changes and its effect on immigrants currently facing deportation.

“We have undertaken a significant number of reforms from a policy perspective and we want to make sure they are evenly understood in the public and advocacy communities,” Morton said.

Lorenzen-Straight added that he conceives of his new role as being a facilitator “of a two-way dialogue.” The position reports to Gary Mead, ICE’s head of enforcement and removal operations.

Prior to his appointment, Lorenzen-Strait was a lawyer who has been an ICE adviser since 2008.