John T. Morton

John Morton
official DHS portrait
Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Department of Homeland Security
In office May 12, 2009 – July 31, 2013
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	John Torres (as Assistant Secretary, acting)
Succeeded by	John Sandweg (acting)
Personal details
Born	1966 (age 51–52) Inverness, Scotland
Alma mater	University of Virginia (B.A.) University of Virginia School of Law (J.D.)

John T. Morton (born 1966) was the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from 2009-2013. Morton was appointed unanimously by the U.S. Senate on May 12, 2009.

Morton served in the Peace Corps before obtaining a law degree from the University of Virginia Law School and becoming a prosecutor.

In an interview conducted shortly after his appointment, Morton emphasized a need for moderation:

And you're putting people in jail, and that's good work but it's also awesome work. I mean your actions lead to somebody going to jail. So I think, you know, the way to look at Government service is as a great honor and privilege. [...] As a Government employee, balanced perspective is critical, trying to reach the common good is critical. You're not an extreme advocate. Your job is to try to get it right, and that's a very rewarding and satisfying position to be in.

One of Morton's first acts in office was an expansion of I-9 audits. These were applied to over 650 businesses suspected of employing undocumented workers.

Morton has also expressed dissatisfaction at ICE's reliance on state and local prisons to house detainees, stating: "Immigration detention is a civil function, it is not a penal function. Over the years, however, the system has largely become dependent on excess jail space." Under his leadership, ICE has constructed a new detention center in Karnes County, TX. Morton calls the new detention facility "sensible, sustainable and attentive to the unique needs of the individuals in our custody”.

Because he works on controversial issues, Morton complains of criticism from the right and the left. "I can get criticized on the same issue from both sides on the same day," he said in 2010.