Houston-area sheriff withdraws as candidate for ICE director

HOUSTON (AP) — A Houston-area sheriff has withdrawn from consideration for Immigration and Customs Enforcement director. In social media postings on Monday, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said he advised President Joe Biden on Sunday that he was “respectfully withdrawing from consideration for the post.” He cited Senate delays in his confirmation. The Senate has taken no action on his confirmation in the 14 months since Biden nominated the Democratic sheriff in April 2021. Gonzalez had sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration policies, and his nomination drew criticism from advocates of tighter border enforcement. ICE has been without a Senate-confirmed director since 2017.