Patrick J. Lechleitner is currently the Acting Deputy Director at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Mr. Lechleitner executes oversight of ICE’s day-to-day operations, leading approximately 20,000 employees including more than 7,000 criminal investigators in Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and 6,000 officers in Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). In this role, Mr. Lechleitner oversees operational and mission support personnel assigned to more than 400 domestic and international offices and administers an annual budget of over $8 billion.

Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Lechleitner served as the Executive Associate Director for HSI. HSI is the principal investigative component of the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for investigating, disrupting, and dismantling transnational criminal organizations and terrorist networks that threaten or seek to exploit the customs and immigration laws of the United States. HSI’s workforce consists of approximately 10,400 employees, including special agents, criminal analysts, mission support personnel and contract staff assigned to over 220 offices throughout the United States and over 50 countries around the world.

Throughout his career Mr. Lechleitner has served in several key leadership positions for HSI. Mr. Lechleitner served as the Assistant Director for HSI’s International Operations Division. In this role, Mr. Lechleitner was responsible for administering a budget of more than $160 million and the operational oversight of 80 offices in 53 countries. Mr. Lechleitner was formerly the Special Agent in Charge for HSI Washington, D.C., where he was responsible for all HSI investigations and field operations in the District of Columbia and the State of Virginia. At HSI Headquarters, Mr. Lechleitner also served as the Acting Assistant Director for the National Security Investigations Division as well as the Deputy Assistant Director overseeing HSI’s Cyber Crimes Division.

Prior to becoming a special agent with the U.S. Customs Service and then HSI in Philadelphia, PA, Mr. Lechleitner was a Fairfax County Police Officer. Before starting his law enforcement career, Mr. Lechleitner was a member of the U.S. military, where he served as a U.S. Navy signals intelligence specialist supporting national security interests.

Mr. Lechleitner holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from George Mason University in Virginia, a Master of Arts degree in Criminology from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, and a Graduate certificate in Executive Leadership from American University in Washington, D.C. He is a member of the Senior Executive Service and a Senior DHS Fellow.