Trump taps David Venturella, former private prison executive, to lead ICE

"The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the agency, said on Tuesday that Venturella would replace Todd Lyons, who is leaving the government on May 31. list of 3 itemsend of list Dave Venturella will serve as acting ICE director following Todd Lyons' departure, DHS said in a statement."

"ICE has played a key role in the Trump administration's mass deportation campaign, part of a hardline approach to immigration that has restricted both legal and illegal pathways to the US. But Trump's efforts to detain and deport foreign nationals have been an economic boon for private contractors that service the US immigration enforcement system."

"GEO Group, one such company, has seen its stock price rise by 55 percent over the last six months. The Trump administration's efforts to expand detention infrastructure have resulted in a series of lucrative contracts for the company, including a $1bn agreement to open a facility in New Jersey's largest city, Newark."

"Venturella, who has worked at ICE under both Democratic and Republican administrations, served as an executive at GEO Group before rejoining ICE last year. Silky Shah, the executive director of the Detention Watch Network, told The Associated Press news agency that Venturella's hiring was a classic example of the revolving-door phenomena. Venturella's intimate knowledge of ICE will likely yield another spike of ICE detention facility openings, Shah added."

David Venturella will serve as acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement after Todd Lyons departs on May 31. The Department of Homeland Security announced the appointment. ICE has been central to the Trump administration’s deportation efforts, using a hardline approach that limits legal and illegal pathways into the United States. Detention and deportation have also benefited private contractors that support immigration enforcement. GEO Group, where Venturella previously worked as an executive, has seen strong stock performance and has received lucrative detention-related contracts, including a $1 billion agreement to open a facility in Newark, New Jersey. Venturella previously worked at ICE under both Democratic and Republican administrations and rejoined ICE last year.

Read at www.aljazeera.com