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The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Rodney S. Scott as Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), solidifying President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the agency amid renewed focus on border enforcement.
The vote passed narrowly, 51-49, with Republican senators voting in favor and no support from Democrats.
Scott, a veteran of the U.S. Border Patrol, previously served as its 24th Chief before retiring in 2021. His career spanned more than 29 years, beginning in 1992 at the Imperial Beach Station in California. He later held leadership roles in multiple sectors, including as Chief Patrol Agent of the El Centro Sector, and was ultimately appointed Chief of the Border Patrol in 2020.
Trump announced Scott’s nomination in December, highlighting his experience during the former administration and praising his leadership in implementing several key immigration enforcement programs.
“Rodney served nearly three decades in the Border Patrol, building vast experience and knowledge in Law Enforcement and Border Security,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“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.”
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem quickly welcomed him to the team at the time.
“Welcome to the team, Rodney Scott and Caleb Vitello! Together, we will Make America Safe Again!” she posted to X.
Scott is well-regarded among Border Patrol personnel and played a central role in several of the Trump administration’s most consequential immigration policies. These included the Migrant Protection Protocols, which required asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while their cases were processed in U.S. courts. This policy significantly changed asylum procedures and drew widespread attention for its scope and impact.
He also helped establish Asylum Cooperative Agreements with El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, which provided for the transfer of migrants to third countries if they could not return to their home nations.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Scott supported the use of Title 42, a public health order that enabled the swift expulsion of individuals at the southern border to curb the spread of the virus.
