There were major shakeups at the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday, with the acting head of US Customs and Border Protection announcing his resignation and, according to an administration official, President Donald Trump picking the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Mark Morgan, to take his job.

Morgan takes over for John Sanders, who offered his resignation to acting DHS Secretary Kevin McAleenan on Monday.

The movement among the top immigration officials in America comes amid mounting public outrage concerning the conditions in which CBP detains immigrant children. As the number of immigrants apprehended by agents at the US-Mexico border has continued to rise, reports of immigrants being held under bridges or forced to sleep outside on the ground for days have plagued CBP officials.

Matt Albence, ICE's deputy director, has been picked to return to his role as acting director, which he took when then ICE director Ronald Vitiello stepped down in April.

The move allows the White House to have three allies in the major immigration components — Ken Cuccinelli at US Immigration and Citizenship Services, Albence at ICE, and Morgan at CBP. All three make regular appearances on Fox News, often voicing support for Trump's policies.



The sudden changes also come at a time of uncertainty for the staff at both agencies, who are dealing with a surge of immigrants as well as the spotlight placed on them by Trump himself.

"Instability is hard on everyone. With all of the focus on the operational activities, hopefully they settle on a team and stick with it," said one former senior ICE official.

Another former senior DHS official said the moves were symbolic of wider issues: "This shit is chaos."

Sanders, the latest immigration official to leave the administration, told staffers in an email that supporting the “amazing men and women of CBP” had been the most fulfilling and satisfying opportunity of his career.



“Hold your heads high with the honor and distinction that you so richly deserve,” said Sanders in an email Tuesday. “This is your organization…own it! Don’t underestimate the power of momentum as you continue to tackle some of this country’s most difficult challenges.” His resignation is effective July 5.