The White House withdrew the nomination of Lance Schroyer to lead U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), marking a setback for Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. The announcement came Thursday amid growing opposition from lawmakers and some administration officials.

Schroyer, a law enforcement veteran with ties to Mullin dating back to his time leading the Oklahoma Highway Patrol security detail for the then-U.S. senator, faced resistance on Capitol Hill shortly after his nomination was made public. In addition to concerns from legislators, White House border czar Tom Homan reportedly opposed the selection.

The decision to pull Schroyer’s nomination reportedly caught the Department of Homeland Security leadership by surprise, including Secretary Mullin, who learned of the move only after the White House’s official announcement, according to a source familiar with the internal discussions. The White House declined to comment on the withdrawal.

Tensions over the nomination escalated when Senator Rand Paul (R., Ky.), chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, threatened to delay the confirmation process. Paul expressed reservations about moving forward without comprehensive information related to the shootings of two American citizens by immigration officers during an enforcement surge in Minneapolis. He indicated he would withhold a confirmation hearing pending further briefing on those incidents.

A senior White House official confirmed that Schroyer’s nomination was withdrawn after it became apparent that Senate approval had stalled. With the nomination pulled, the administration will need to seek an alternative candidate to lead ICE as it continues to manage immigration enforcement and border security operations amid ongoing scrutiny from lawmakers and the public.