Senate Confirms Rodney Scott To Lead Customs And Border Protection
The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed Rodney Scott as the new head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) — a decisive win for President Donald Trump’s renewed effort to restore law and order along America’s southern border.
Scott, a career law enforcement veteran and former Border Patrol Chief, will now lead the Department of Homeland Security’s largest enforcement agency, commanding roughly 65,000 employees across two key divisions: the U.S. Border Patrol, which secures territory between ports of entry, and the Office of Field Operations (OFO), which oversees inspection and security at official border crossings.
Scott’s confirmation passed narrowly, 51–46 along party lines, with every Republican voting in favor and every Democrat opposed — a clear reflection of Washington’s deep partisan divide over immigration enforcement.
Scott’s return to leadership marks a personal and political turnaround after being forced out by the Biden administration in 2021. His departure followed a dispute over the administration’s attempt to replace the legally accurate term “illegal alien” with the politically correct “undocumented immigrant.”
In a memo to then–Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller, Scott objected:
“The U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) is and must remain an apolitical federal law enforcement agency… Despite every attempt by USBP leadership to ensure that all official messaging remained consistent with law, fact, and evidence, there is no doubt that the reputation of the USBP has suffered because of the many outside voices. Mandating the use of terms which are inconsistent with law has the potential to further erode public trust in our government institutions.”
Scott retired as Border Patrol Chief later that year but remained a vocal advocate for border security and the Trump-era enforcement policies that drastically reduced illegal crossings. After leaving federal service, he joined the Texas Public Policy Foundation as a Distinguished Senior Fellow for Border Security, where he continued pushing for the restoration of the Remain in Mexico policy, Safe Third Country agreements, and continued border wall construction — all top priorities for President Trump’s second administration.
Following his Senate confirmation, Commissioner Scott released a statement expressing both gratitude and determination:
“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.”
President Trump lauded Scott’s confirmation, calling him one of the most experienced and capable border security leaders in the nation’s history.
“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 assumes command at a critical time for CBP as the Trump administration works to reverse four years of Biden’s open-border chaos and reestablish operational control along the southern border.
In a recent legal victory for the administration, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 6–3 to stay a lower court injunction that had blocked the deportation of migrants to third countries — a move that strengthens Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown. Liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.
The case involved foreign nationals attempting to halt deportations to third countries — but the Court’s ruling clears the path for CBP and DHS to fully enforce the law without judicial interference.
With Scott at the helm, conservatives see a renewed commitment to sovereignty, border integrity, and the rule of law — the very principles that defined Trump’s first term and are now being restored in his second.