Ronald Vitiello

Ronald Donato Vitiello (born July 30, 1963)[1] is an American government official and former U.S. Border patrol agent who served as deputy director and acting director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from June 30, 2018 to April 12, 2019.[2] He previously served as acting deputy commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection from 2017 to 2018[3][4] and chief of the United States Border Patrol in 2017.

Ronald Vitiello
Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
In office
June 30, 2018 – April 12, 2019
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byThomas Homan (acting)
Succeeded byMatthew Albence (acting)
Deputy Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
In office
June 30, 2018 – April 12, 2019
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byDaniel Ragsdale
Succeeded byMatthew Albence (acting)
Acting Deputy Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
In office
April 25, 2017 – June 29, 2018
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byRandolph Alles
Succeeded byRobert Perez (acting)
Chief of the United States Border Patrol
In office
February 1, 2017 – April 25, 2017
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byMark Morgan
Succeeded byCarla Provost
In office
Acting: December 1, 2015 – July 20, 2016
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byMichael J. Fisher
Succeeded byMark Morgan
Personal details
Born
Ronald Donato Vitiello

(1963-07-30) July 30, 1963
Addison, Illinois, U.S.
Spouse(s)Nuri
Children2
EducationGrossmont College

Career

Vitiello joined the U.S. Border Patrol in 1985 and began service in Laredo, Texas. He has held various leadership positions within the Border Patrol, including supervisory Border patrol agent; assistant patrol agent in charge; special operations Supervisor; chief patrol agent for the Rio Grande Valley, and for the Swanton, Vermont sectors; assistant chief patrol agent; and Senior Associate chief.[3]

Chief of the Border Patrol

In 2010, Vitiello was appointed deputy chief of the Border Patrol, and in 2015-16 he served as acting chief, after which Mark A. Morgan was appointed chief.[3][5] Vitiello then served as executive assistant commissioner for operations support at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Border Patrol's parent agency.[3]

Vitiello was appointed chief of the Border Patrol by President Donald Trump in January 2017 and assumed the position on February 1, 2017, replacing Mark A. Morgan.[3][6] The National Border Patrol Council, the union which represents Border patrol agents, openly supported Vitiello for the position.[5]

Deputy Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection

After U.S. Customs and Border Protection deputy commissioner Randolph Alles resigned to become the director of the United States Secret Service, Vitiello was appointed to take his place on April 25, 2017.[7]

Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

In early June 2018, Vitiello was named acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen.[8] Under Vitiello's leadership, ICE started implementing a policy of "zero tolerance," which critics charge has had the result of separating families at the border and increasing deportations.[9]

In August 2018, Trump nominated Vitiello to become ICE's permanent director.[10]

During a 2018 Senate confirmation hearing, Senator Gary Peters brought up a 2015 tweet from Vitiello, where he suggested to Mark Levin that the Democratic Party be renamed the "liberalcratic party or the NeoKlanist party". Vitiello said it was intended as a direct message, was a joke, and was sorry it caused offense; Kamala Harris echoed Peters' reply, grilling him on why that was a poor comparison. When Vitiello said the KKK "tried to use fear and force" against "race and ethnicity", Harris asked if Vitiello saw parallels between ICE and the KKK, especially with ICE's enforcement of the Trump administration family separation policy. This led to a strong reaction from Fox News's Trish Regan and a strong letter to Harris from the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.[11][12][13][14]

On April 4, 2019, Trump rescinded Vitiello's nomination as director of ICE,[15] stating to reporters the next day at the White House before leaving on a trip to border that, "Ron’s a good man, but we’re going in a tougher direction."[16] On April 10, 2019, Vitiello announced his resignation from ICE.[17]

Personal life and education

Vitiello graduated from Santana High School in 1981.[18] He is married to Nuri and has two children.[19]

References
  1. New Border Patrol Chief Takes Charge
  2. Talev, Margaret (June 30, 2018). "Vitiello Tapped as Acting ICE Director". Bloomberg. He’s being named the deputy director of ICE and will also will serve as its acting director, Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement on Saturday.
  3. McAleenan, Kevin K. (January 31, 2017). "Commissioner's Statement on the Appointment of Ronald D. Vitiello as Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol". U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
  4. "Trump Names Ronald Vitiello Leader of Border Patrol". FOX-KSWB. January 31, 2017.
  5. "Union-Backed Ronald Vitiello Named to Lead Border Patrol". NBCUniversal. January 31, 2017.
  6. "Chiefs of the U.S. Border Patrol" (PDF). U.S. Border Patrol. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
  7. "Border Patrol Names Carla Provost Acting Chief". U.S. News & World Report. April 26, 2017. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  8. "Secretary Nielsen Announces Ronald D. Vitiello to Serve as Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement". Department of Homeland Security. June 30, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  9. "Attorney General Announces Zero-Tolerance Policy for Criminal Illegal Entry". April 6, 2018. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  10. "PN2397 — Ronald D. Vitiello — Department of Homeland Security". Congress.gov. Library of Congress. August 16, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  11. Morgan Gstalter (November 16, 2018). "Trish Regan slams Kamala Harris for comparing ICE to KKK". TheHill. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  12. CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ (November 15, 2018). "Democratic senators grill ICE chief over hardline immigration policies". cbsnews.com. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  13. "ICE head apologizes for tweet calling Democrats 'NeoKlanist' party". NBC News. November 15, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  14. "Letter to Senator Kamala Harris". fleoa.org. November 19, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  15. "PN191 — Ronald D. Vitiello — Department of Homeland Security". Congress.gov. Library of Congress. January 16, 2019. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  16. Sullivan, Eileen; Kanno-Youngs, Zoland; Haberman, Maggie (April 5, 2019). "Seeking 'Tougher' Direction for ICE, Trump Withdraws His Nominee". NYTimes.com. New York Times. Retrieved April 7, 2019. “Ron’s a good man, but we’re going in a tougher direction,” Mr. Trump said to reporters as he left the White House en route to Calexico, Calif.
  17. "Message from Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen on the Resignation of ICE Acting Director Ronald D. Vitiello". DHS.gov. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. April 10, 2019. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  18. Pearlman, Karen. "Border Patrol chief visits alma mater Santana High". sandiegouniontribune.com. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  19. "Acting Deputy Commissioner Ronald D. Vitiello". U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
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