President Donald J. Trump has secured a major victory in his ongoing effort to restore sovereignty at the southern border, as the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Rodney Scott as Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP)—putting a seasoned border warrior back in charge of the nation’s frontline defense.

The Senate confirmed Scott in a 51-46 party-line vote, with every Republican voting in favor and Democrats unanimously opposed, underscoring the partisan divide on border security.

Scott previously served as Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol and now assumes command of the largest enforcement agency within the Department of Homeland Security, overseeing nearly 65,000 personnel. CBP’s responsibilities include both the Border Patrol, which protects areas between ports of entry, and the Office of Field Operations (OFO), which secures America’s official entry points.

Scott’s return marks a sharp reversal from his unceremonious ouster during the Biden administration, when he resisted the White House’s woke rebranding campaign aimed at scrubbing legally accurate terms like “illegal alien” from agency use.

In April 2021, then–Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller instructed CBP personnel to use the term “undocumented immigrant”—a move Scott publicly opposed. In an internal memo, Scott defended the agency’s integrity and mission:

“The U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) is and must remain an apolitical federal law enforcement agency… Mandating the use of terms which are inconsistent with law has the potential to further erode public trust in our government institutions.”

After retiring from the Border Patrol in August 2021, Scott became a leading voice for a return to Trump-era immigration enforcement, joining the Texas Public Policy Foundation as a Distinguished Senior Fellow for Border Security.

Throughout the post-Biden years, Scott remained a relentless advocate for construction of the border wall, Safe Third Country agreements, and the Remain in Mexico policy—all cornerstones of Trump’s successful first-term strategy to combat illegal immigration.

President Trump praised Scott’s appointment in no uncertain terms:

“Rodney served nearly three decades in the Border Patrol, building vast experience and knowledge in Law Enforcement and Border Security. Rodney served as the 24th Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, where he implemented Remain-in-Mexico, Title 42, Safe Third Agreements, and achieved record low levels of illegal immigration,” Trump said.

Scott issued a confident statement after his confirmation, affirming his commitment to enforcing the law and defending the nation:

“I’m honored that the United States Senate has confirmed me, and I want to thank President Trump and Secretary Noem for their trust and unwavering leadership. I started my career on the front lines, and now I am ready to lead my CBP family with integrity and a clear mission to defend our sovereignty, enforce the law, and put America first.”

Scott takes the helm as CBP faces an uphill battle to reverse four years of open-border chaos under the previous administration. With illegal crossings still high and cartel activity surging, CBP’s leadership is pivotal to restoring the rule of law at America’s southern frontier.

This week, the Supreme Court handed President Trump another win, approving the administration’s request to pause a lower court injunction that had temporarily blocked deportations to third countries. The 6-3 ruling—opposed only by Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson—allows Trump’s team to move swiftly on key immigration crackdowns.

The ruling concerned migrants challenging deportation orders that sent them to third countries—not their nations of origin—without prior notification. The high court’s decision clears the path for Trump’s border enforcement agenda to gain immediate traction.

The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) welcomed the confirmation, noting it looks forward to working with Commissioner Scott and President Trump to undo the damage inflicted by left-wing immigration policies.