Trump appoints Kenmore native to head immigration agency

Caleb Vitello, 46, a high-ranking official of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was recently named by Trump as the acting director of that agency. The appointment requires Senate approval.

ICE, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, is expected to play an important role in the months ahead, as the Trump administration attempts to carry out an unprecedented effort to remove millions of undocumented migrants from the U.S.

“Caleb’s exceptional leadership, extensive experience and commitment to ICE’s mission make him and excellent choice to implement my efforts to enhance the safety and security of American communities who have been victimized by illegal alien crime,” Trump said last month, when he announced Vitello’s appointment on his Truth Social website.

Vitello currently serves as acting director of ICE’s office of Firearms & Tactical Programs, “where he oversees Agency-wide training, equipment and policy to ensure Officer and Public Safety,” Trump added in his Truth Social post.

Vitello told The Buffalo News Thursday that he cannot comment on his new appointment until next week. His appointment takes effect after Trump is sworn in Monday as the nation’s 47th president.

Vitello’s biography on the ICE website identifies him as a Buffalo native who earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University at Buffalo. He graduated in 1996 from Kenmore West High School, where he belonged to the National Honor Society.

Throughout Trump’s successful campaign for the presidency, he repeatedly targeted illegal immigration as one of America’s most serious problems. Sometimes referring to those living in the U.S. illegally as “animals,” Trump has blamed them for violent crime and drug trafficking.

Trump has said he plans to deport millions of noncitizens who are illegally in the country as quickly as possible. As the new ICE director, Vitello would presumably be heavily involved in this program.

Trump’s critics have accused him of overstating and distorting threats posed by those in this country illegally and have pointed out the contributions that immigrants have made throughout the nation’s history. Critics have also questioned whether Homeland Security has the manpower and facilities to handle the massive deportation effort Trump has promised.

ICE runs a Buffalo field office and conducts investigations into illegal immigration all over Western New York. ICE also oversees the Buffalo Detention Center in Batavia, which houses hundreds of individuals who are awaiting deportation or the outcome of deportation proceedings.

According to Vitello’s government bio, he began working for ICE in New York City in 2001, and before that, served on the White House National Security Council for interior enforcement, where he led a child and welfare safety program. Vitello has served in several leadership roles in ICE, has been instrumental in setting up special operations teams and has won several director’s awards for his work, the agency said in his biography.

NBC News, the New York Times, National Public Radio, the Hill and Politico are among the news media organizations that have reported on his appointment by Trump.

When he was a youngster in Kenmore during the 1990s, The Buffalo News carried a short profile on Vitello, calling him an exemplary newspaper carrier who was devoted to helping others. Vitello attended the Kenmore-Tonawanda school system, delivered The News, was active in sports and still found time to volunteer in programs serving blind children and senior citizens, it was reported.

In September 2017, ICE announced that Vitello was one of the leaders of a group of ICE employees who traveled to Texas to assist in search and rescue efforts after Hurricane Harvey.