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US Border Patrol chief Michael Banks resigns immediately

Veteran official steps down after 37 years, marking the third leadership change at the Department of Homeland Security in two months

WASHINGTON — Michael Banks, chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, has resigned with immediate effect, becoming the latest senior immigration official to leave the Department of Homeland Security since Markwayne Mullin took over as secretary.

In a statement to CNN, Banks said he was “proud” of his tenure leading the agency, adding that he was stepping down with “the most secure border in the nation’s history.” After nearly 37 years in public service, he said, the decision reflected a desire to “enjoy family and life.”

A longtime Border Patrol veteran, Banks previously served as Texas’ so-called “border czar,” advising Governor Greg Abbott during Operation Lone Star, the state-led initiative launched in response to what Texas authorities described as a migration crisis under the administration of Joe Biden.

His record on immigration enforcement earned him the backing of Donald Trump, who appointed him to lead the Border Patrol in January 2025.

During Banks’ tenure, official Gregory Bovino emerged as a central figure in the tightening of immigration enforcement within the United States, with the support of then–Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. His notably aggressive approach, however, generated internal tensions within the agency.

Banks’ departure marks the third leadership change at the Department of Homeland Security in the past two months. Trump removed Kristi Noem in March following controversy over federal spending on advertising campaigns and after the deaths of two U.S. citizens killed by federal agents in Minneapolis. Last month, acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Todd Lyons also stepped down, officially to devote more time to his family.

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