Madison Sheahan, the No. 2 official at Immigration and Customs Enforcement and close ally of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, is leaving the agency to run for Congress, two U.S. officials familiar with the move told CBS News on Thursday.
Sheahan was installed as ICE’s deputy director in March, when the Trump administration overhauled the agency’s leadership amid increased pressure for officials to ramp up immigration arrests and deportations across the country.
In a statement to CBS News, Noem confirmed Sheahan’s departure. She said Sheahan would be “a great defender of freedom when she goes to Congress,” noting she has known her for years.
“Madison Sheahan is a work horse, strong executor, and terrific leader who led the men and women of ICE to achieve the American people’s mandate to target, arrest, and deport criminal illegal aliens,” Noem added. “We wish her all the best.”
Jamie Kelter Davis / Getty Images 
While Sheahan and Noem have a longstanding relationship, her installation as the second-highest-ranking official at ICE frustrated some agency officials, who noted she lacked significant law enforcement experience.
Before coming to ICE, Sheahan was the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Before that, she was an aide for Noem during her governorship in South Dakota.
