{{Short description|American attorney and politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = John Sandweg | image = File:John Sandweg profile.jpg | image_upright = | alt = | caption = | order = | office = Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement | term_start = August 1, 2013 | term_end = February 21, 2014 | president = Barack Obama | predecessor = John T. Morton | successor = Thomas S. Winkowski | prior_term = | party = Democratic | education = Arizona State University (BA, JD) | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1975}} }}
'''John R. Sandweg''' (born 1975) is an American attorney who served as an acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from August 1, 2013 to February 21, 2014. He is a partner of Nixon Peabody leading the Cross-Border Risks team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nixonpeabody.com/en/team/sandweg-john|title=John Sandweg|website=Nixon Peabody}}</ref>
== Biography == === 2002–2009: Defense attorney === From 2002 to 2009, Sandweg was a defense attorney at Quarles & Brady LLP. In 2008, he defended Arizona House of Representative Mark DeSimone from accusations of spousal abuse, and had told reporters that he would be resigning.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/party-tonto-national-forest-5000-restrooms-poop-live-band-dui-11544694|title=Accused wife-beater and State Representative Mark DeSimone resigned . . . or did he?|author=Fenske, Sarah|date=July 24, 2008|website=Phoenix New Times}}</ref> He also raised funds for Janet Napolitano's campaigns in 2009.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20140217-john-sandweg-acting-ice-director-leaves-post-after-five-months|title=John Sandweg, acting ICE director, leaves post after five months|date=February 17, 2014|website=Homeland Security Newswire}}</ref>
=== 2013–2014: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement === thumb|left|200px|Sandweg speaking at the IPR Press Conference in January 2014. In August 2013, Sandweg was named as the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement following the resignation of John T. Morton.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cis.org/North/New-Immigration-Policy-Maker-John-Sandweg-Acting-Head-ICE|title=A New Immigration Policy Maker — John Sandweg, Acting Head of ICE|date=August 13, 2013|author=North, David|website=Center for Immigration Studies}}</ref> The decision was met with criticism, with critics questioning his credentials due to having no experience in law enforcement.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.debbieschlussel.com/65546/john-sandweg-obamas-new-immigration-chiefs-experience-is-defending-child-molesters-wife-beaters-drunk-drivers-terrorists/|title=John Sandweg: Obama's New Immigration Chief's "Experience" is Defending Child Molesters, Wife Beaters, Drunk Drivers, Terrorists|author=Schlussel, Debbie|date=September 5, 2013|website=Debbie Schlussel}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/new-ice-boss-background-as-defense-attorney-for-murderers-pedophiles-raises-questions-about-his-credentials|title=New ICE boss' background as defense attorney for murderers, pedophiles raises questions about his credentials|author=Winter, Jana|date=August 14, 2013|website=Fox News}}</ref> In September, Sandweg was probed for pushing Homeland Security Inspector General Charles K. Edwards to stall his report on a scandal involving the U.S. Secret Service.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://roselawgroupreporter.com/2013/09/napolitano-allies-probed-meddling-secret-service-sex-scandal/|title=Napolitano allies probed for meddling in Secret Service sex scandal|author=Anderson, Jeffrey|website=Rose Law Group Reporter|date=September 11, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/8/senate-investigates-whether-napolitano-aides-influ/|title=Foxes in the henhouse: Napolitano gurus probed for meddling in Secret Service sex scandal|author=Anderson, Jeffrey|date=September 8, 2013|website=The Washington Times}}</ref>
During his tenure, illegal immigrant removals fell in December 2013, which Sandweg attributed to identifying more criminals and a change in composition for removals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-report/u-s-illegal-immigrant-removals-fall-in-fiscal-2013-idUSBRE9BI1EH20131219|title=U.S. illegal immigrant removals fall in fiscal 2013|date=December 19, 2013|website=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/20/us/us-deportations-decline-felons-made-up-big-share.html|title=U.S. Deportations Decline; Felons Made Up Big Share|author=Preston, Julia|date=December 19, 2013|website=The New York Times}}</ref> That same month, Senator Chuck Grassley gave security concerns about the EB-5 Immigration Program.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/public-statement/832152/letter-to-us-immigration-and-customs-enforcement-director-john-sandweg-internal-memo-outlines-national-security-concerns-with-eb-5-immigration-program&speechType=2|title=Letter to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Sandweg - Internal Memo Outlines National Security Concerns with EB-5 Immigration Program|date=December 12, 2013|author=Grassley, Chuck|website=Vote Smart}}</ref>
On February 17, 2014, Sandweg resigned from the position with no explanation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/acting-ice-director-sandweg-resigns-after-five-months-on-the-job|title=Acting ICE Director Sandweg resigns after five months on the job|author=Winter, Jana|date=February 17, 2014|website=Fox News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/john-sandweg-resigns_n_4809499|title=Acting ICE Director John Sandweg Resigns Less Than 6 Months After Appointment: Report|date=February 18, 2014|website=HuffPost}}</ref> He was replaced by Thomas S. Winkowski.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.freightwaves.com/news/cbps-winkowski-heads-up-ice|title=CBP's Winkowski heads up ICE|date= June 8, 2014|website=FreightWaves}}</ref>
=== 2014–present: Post-ICE and Nixon Peabody === In 2017, Sandweg criticized the elimination of the DACA program as it would clog the immigration system.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/immigration/345008-eliminating-daca-program-will-only-clog-immigration?rl=1|title=Eliminating DACA program will only clog immigration enforcement|author=Sandweg, John|date=August 2, 2017|website=The Hill}}</ref> In 2019, Sandweg joined Nixon Peabody as a partner to head the group's cross-border risks practice.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.law360.com/articles/1195394/nixon-peabody-snags-former-dhs-official-to-lead-new-team|title=Nixon Peabody Snags Former DHS Official To Lead New Team|date=September 11, 2019|website=Law360|url-access=subscription}}</ref> In 2020, Sandweg joined doctors, lawyers, asylum-seekers and other former officials for ICE and the Trump administration to release immigrants due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-ice-release-immigrants-detention-outbreak/|title="Powder kegs": Calls grow for ICE to release immigrants to avoid coronavirus outbreak|author=Montoya-Galvez, Camilo|date=March 19, 2020|website=CBS News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jurist.org/news/2020/04/democratic-lawmakers-urge-reduction-of-immigrant-detainee-populations/|title=Democratic lawmakers urge reduction of immigrant detainee populations|date=April 8, 2020|website=JURIST|author=Negron, Valeria}}</ref> He wanted to release nonviolent detainees to stall the spread of COVID-19.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/release-ice-detainees/608536/|title=I Used to Run ICE. We Need to Release the Nonviolent Detainees.|author=Sandweg, John|date=March 22, 2020|website=The Atlantic}}</ref> He also criticized Trump for using ICE as his personal "goon squad," and saying that the raids were a failure of leadership in the Trump administration.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/24/trump-goon-squad-john-sandweg-homeland-security-ice|title=Trump is using federal agents as his 'goon squad', says Ice's ex-acting head|date=July 24, 2020|author=Strauss, Daniel|website=TheGuardian.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://fox8.com/news/ice-has-begun-raids-to-round-up-undocumented-immigrants-official-says/|title=ICE has begun raids to round up undocumented immigrants, official says|date=July 14, 2019|website=WJW}}</ref>
During the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Sandweg criticized Bill de Blasio and Cory Booker after they had pressed Joe Biden on Obama-era policies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/hamedaleaziz/biden-debate-immigration-de-blasio-booker-deportation|title=Former Top Obama Official Criticizes Democratic Candidates For "Unfair Attack" On Immigration Record|author=Aleaziz, Hamed|date= August 1, 2019|website=BuzzFeed News}}</ref> During the presidential transition of Joe Biden, Sandweg expressed excitement about how the Biden administration would handle the pandemic and the return of Alejandro Mayorkas after his leave as the United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2021/01/people-are-just-relieved-feds-express-optimism-biden-officials-take-charge-agencies/171542/|title='People Are Just Relieved': Career Feds Express Optimism as Biden Officials Take Charge at Agencies|date=January 21, 2021|author=Katz, Eric|website=Government Executive}}</ref> He also praised the fewer arrests and deportations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abc13.com/biden-to-control-us-immigration-and-customs-enforcement-new-rules-for-ice-less-arrests-deportations-under-national-project/10321634/|title=New Biden rules for ICE point to fewer arrests and deportations, and a more restrained agency|date=February 8, 2021|author=Miroff, Nick; Sacchetti, Maria|website=KTRK-TV}}</ref>
As an immigration lawyer in private practice, his clients have included Anna Sorokin; Sandweg said in an interview that he took her case because it demonstrated the government's "overreliance on detention."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Palmer |first1=Emily |title=Fake Heiress Anna Sorokin Is Released From Jail |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/07/style/anna-delvey-sorokin-released.html |work=The New York Times |date=8 October 2022}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{S-start}} {{s-gov}} {{s-bef|before=John T. Morton}} {{s-ttl|title=Acting Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement|years=August 1, 2013 - February 21, 2014}} {{s-aft|after=Thomas S. Winkowski}} {{S-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sandweg, John}} Category:Arizona State University alumni Category:Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law alumni Category:American lawyers Category:United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials Category:Obama administration personnel Category:1975 births Category:Living people