The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed Rodney Scott as the new Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The confirmation vote was 51-46, split along party lines, with all Republicans voting in favor and all Democrats opposed.
Scott, a longtime veteran of border enforcement, previously served as Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol. He now leads the Department of Homeland Security’s largest law enforcement agency, overseeing more than 65,000 employees.
CBP is comprised of two primary branches: the U.S. Border Patrol, responsible for securing the nation’s borders between official ports of entry, and the Office of Field Operations (OFO), which manages operations at ports of entry.
Scott’s previous tenure as Border Patrol Chief ended during the Biden administration, following disagreements over terminology and policy direction. In 2021, he was informed by then-Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller that the agency would begin using the term “undocumented immigrant” instead of “illegal alien.” In response, Scott pushed back in an internal memo, emphasizing that the Border Patrol must remain a nonpartisan, law-enforcement-focused agency and warned that politically driven language changes could erode public trust.
Scott retired from Border Patrol leadership in August 2021, but continued advocating for stricter border policies. Later that year, he joined the Texas Public Policy Foundation as a Distinguished Senior Fellow for Border Security, promoting Trump-era strategies such as border wall construction, the “Remain in Mexico” policy, and Safe Third Country agreements.
Throughout his career, Scott has testified before Congress and appeared frequently in the media, urging stronger enforcement measures.
Following his Senate confirmation, Scott released a statement expressing gratitude and outlining his goals: “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.”
Former President Donald Trump, who nominated Scott, praised his leadership and record: “Rodney served nearly three decades in the Border Patrol… implementing key policies such as Remain in Mexico, Title 42, and Safe Third Agreements while achieving historic reductions in illegal immigration.”
Scott’s confirmation comes at a pivotal moment for CBP, as the agency works to reverse immigration policies from the previous administration. Supporters hope that under Scott’s leadership, CBP will help fulfill the Trump administration’s promise to restore order at the southern border.
In a recent related development, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to allow the administration to resume deportations to third countries, temporarily halting a lower court’s injunction. The ruling is viewed as a win for the administration’s renewed push for stronger immigration enforcement. Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson dissented.
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