Ed Gonzalez, the Biden administration’s pick to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has officially withdrawn from the nomination.
Gonzalez, who currently serves as the sheriff for Harris County, Texas, was nominated by the Biden administration over a year ago and renominated at the beginning of this year after the Senate failed to hold a vote by the end of 2021.
Democrats canceled a vote to confirm him scheduled for March, after a lawmaker surfaced an old police affidavit that alleged officers had responded to a domestic dispute call involving Gonzalez and his wife. Both he and his wife, who have denied the allegations.
In a series of tweets at the end of last month, Gonzalez said he was withdrawing from the nomination in the best interest of the country. He said he wished the administration well overcoming "paralyzing political gridlock" threatening the nation’s border, and beyond. The Biden administration sent the official withdrawal to Congress this week.
ICE has not had a confirmed leader since 2017.
