Tae Johnson

{{for|the American football player|Tae Johnson (American football)}}

”’Tae D. Johnson”’ is an American law enforcement official who served as the senior official performing the duties of the director of [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] from January 2021 to July 2023.<ref name=”ICE bio”>{{Cite web|title=ICE Leadership|url=https://www.ice.gov/leadership|access-date=2021-01-15|website=www.ice.gov|language=en}} {{PD-notice}}</ref><ref name=”cnn” /> The legality of his status as acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was disputed.<ref name=”gao” />

He began his career in [[Salisbury, Maryland]], working as an officer of the [[United States Immigration and Naturalization Service|U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service]]. On January 13, 2021, Johnson began serving as the senior official performing the duties of the director of [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] after the resignation of Jonathan Fahey.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Immigration agency leader resigns, only weeks in office|url=https://www.startribune.com/immigration-agency-leader-resigns-only-weeks-in-office/600010349/|access-date=2021-01-15|website=Star Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Acting ICE director resigns after just weeks in office|url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/nation-world/immigration-ice-leader-resigns-only-weeks-in/507-af1867ea-5a6c-483a-b3cb-7a4e5c59479c|access-date=2021-01-15|website=wkyc.com|date=14 January 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-15|title=Acting ICE Director Resigns After Capitol Attack, Weeks After Taking Over|url=https://documentedny.com/2021/01/15/acting-ice-director-resigns-after-capitol-attack-weeks-after-taking-over/|access-date=2021-01-15|website=Documented|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2019, Johnson provided testimony to the [[United States House Committee on Homeland Security]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Oversight Hearing of ICE Detention Facilities {{!}} C-SPAN.org|url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?464756-1/oversight-hearing-ice-detention-facilities|access-date=2021-01-15|website=www.c-span.org|language=en-us}}</ref>

A February 8, 2023 report from the [[Government Accountability Office]] found that Johnson’s service “as Acting ICE Director from November 16, 2021, through the present day is in violation of the [Federal Vacancies Reform] Act” as it had exceeded the time limit permitted for officials to serve in an acting capacity and that “any actions taken by Mr. Johnson on or after November 16, 2021, must be nullified or viewed as having no force or effect”.<ref name=”gao”>{{cite web |title=Violation of the Time Limit Imposed by the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998: Assistant Secretary/Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement |url=https://www.gao.gov/products/b-334562 |website=gao.gov |publisher=[[Government Accountability Office]] |access-date=February 11, 2023}}</ref> The U.S. Department of Homeland Security disagreed with the GAO’s conclusion.<ref name=”gao”/>

Johnson retired at the beginning of July 2023<ref>{{cite web |title=Statement from Secretary Mayorkas on the Retirement of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Tae D. Johnson |url=https://www.dhs.gov/news/2023/06/05/statement-secretary-mayorkas-retirement-ice-deputy-director-tae-d-johnson |website=www.dhs.gov |publisher=Department of Homeland Security |access-date=23 July 2023}}</ref><ref name=”cnn”>{{cite web |last1=Lybrand |first1=Holmes |title=ICE acting chief Tae Johnson to retire |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/05/politics/tae-johnson-ice-acting-chief-retire/index.html |website=CNN.com |publisher=CNN |access-date=23 July 2023 |language=en |date=5 June 2023}}</ref> and was succeeded as acting director by deputy director [[Patrick Lechleitner|Patrick J. Lechleitner]].