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A major leadership shift has hit the Department of Homeland Security as the head of U.S. Border Patrol steps down, adding fresh uncertainty to an agency already at the center of President Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown.

The resignation of Chief Michael Banks marks another high-profile departure inside DHS, intensifying questions about stability, strategy, and the future of border enforcement as federal agencies carry out expanded immigration operations across the country.

“It’s just time,” Banks says after two decades of service

Michael Banks, who served more than 20 years with Border Patrol, confirmed his resignation on Thursday in an interview with Fox News.

“It’s just time,” Michael Banks, who worked for Border Patrol for over 20 years, said in an interview with Fox News. “I feel like I got the ship back on course,” he added, referring to immigration enforcement at the southern border. “It’s time to enjoy the family and life.”

His departure closes a long career inside one of the most closely watched federal law enforcement agencies, which has been central to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategy.

DHS leadership turbulence grows

Banks is the latest senior official to exit the Department of Homeland Security, the agency responsible for executing the administration’s mass deportation campaign.

His resignation comes less than a month after Todd Lyons, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, announced he would leave the agency on May 31. On Tuesday, the Trump administration named David Venturella, a former career ICE official, as the next acting leader.

Earlier this year, leadership tensions escalated further when President Trump fired Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary in March following a series of controversies.

“Decades of service” acknowledged by CBP leadership

Rodney Scott, commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which oversees Border Patrol, issued a statement recognizing Banks’ long career and return to service during a critical period.

“We thank U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks for his decades of service to this country and congratulate him on his second retirement after returning to serve during one of the most challenging periods for border security.”

Return from retirement and political spotlight

Banks had previously retired from Border Patrol in 2023 before being appointed Texas border czar by Gov. Greg Abbott, who pushed for stronger immigration enforcement during the Biden administration.

His return placed him back at the center of a politically charged border security landscape, as federal and state leaders clashed over enforcement priorities.

Rising pressure on border strategy

The leadership shake-up comes as the Trump administration expands Border Patrol’s role beyond traditional border zones, deploying agents into interior cities across the United States.

Historically, Border Patrol has operated near the nation’s edges, focusing on areas between official ports of entry. That shift in mission has raised scrutiny as the agency takes on broader domestic enforcement responsibilities.

Tensions surrounding enforcement tactics intensified in January after the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis involving a Border Patrol agent and a Customs and Border Protection officer, an incident that drew national attention to the agency’s use of force and operational approach.

White House response remains silent

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday, leaving unanswered questions about how the administration plans to stabilize leadership amid ongoing departures and an expanding immigration crackdown.