American law enforcement official who has served as Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement since 2025. He is a career ICE official who previously led the agency's Enforcement and Removal Operations division.
Case
HSI agent Jack Stevens fatally shot U.S. citizen Ruben Ray Martinez on South Padre Island in March 2025, saying Martinez's car struck a fellow agent. A grand jury declined to indict him, but body-camera footage shows the car moving very slowly, leaving the shooting disputed.
Role at the time: Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in a public statement
Statement summary
After body-camera footage and records were released, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said the agency stands by the grand jury's unanimous decision that found no criminality in the shooting.
“We stand by the grand jury's unanimous decision that found no criminality.”
The case's fixed reference point is whether Stevens's use of force was justified. Lyons's statement affirms the grand jury's finding of no criminality and stands behind the shooting's propriety on the agency's behalf, which defends the conduct under scrutiny.
Statement dates: March 7, 2026
Statement dates: March 7, 2026
Statement dates: March 7, 2026
