Speaker 1 (00:00):
Today, I'm privileged to host you as we fulfill the solemn vow. On behalf of ICE Director Todd Lyons, I would like to welcome you to the solemn ceremony and share with you that every day, not just today, we remember and honor those who lost their lives in service to this great nation. We also honor the families who have given so much and we reaffirm our commitment to continuing our mission.
(00:24)
Now, I ask you please stand if you're able, for the presentation of the colors. And remain standing for the National Anthem, which will be performed by Deputy Staff Director for Homeland Security Council and HSI New York Supervisory Special Agent Dina Santos. Please remain standing after the anthem for the invocation. Thank you.
MUSIC (00:45):
(music)
Speaker 2 (00:45):
[inaudible 00:02:25].
MUSIC (02:28):
O say can you see, by the dawns light.
(02:37)
What so proudly we hailed, at the twilight's last gleaming.
(02:47)
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight.
(02:56)
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so galently streaming.
(03:06)
And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air.
(03:06)
Gave proof through the night, that our flag was still there.
(03:26)
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave.
(03:49)
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
[inaudible 00:03:57].
MUSIC (04:50):
( music)
Monsignor Criscuolo (04:50):
Let us now bow our heads in prayer. Eternal God, source of strength and comfort, we gather here today with heavy hearts to honor the memory of those brave men and women of immigration and customs enforcement who gave their lives in a line of duty. We remember their courage, their sacrifice, and their unwavering commitment to protecting our nation and upholding our laws.
(05:17)
In the sacred moment we ask for your presence among us. Grant peace to the families and friends and colleagues who still continue to grieve. May they feel the comfort of your embrace and the insurance of their loved ones did not serve in vain. Help us to remember that freedom comes at a price and those we honor today pay that price with honor and valor. May their legacy inspire us to live with purpose, integrity, and compassion. We make this prayer today as always as loyal and faithful servants caught upon to do your will. In His name we pray. Amen.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Please be seated. I'd like to thank Dina, the ICE Honor Guard, and Monsignor Criscuolo for delivering the invocation. I'm pleased to welcome the honorable Markwayne Mullen, Secretary of Homeland Security, James Percival, General Counsel for the Department of Homeland Security, Mr. Tae Johnson, Mr. Matthew Albence, Mr. Daniel Ragsdale, Mr. John Morton, Mr. John Torres, and Ms. Julie Myers-Wood.
(06:36)
I'd also like to acknowledge the executives and members of ICE's leadership team who are here with us today. Mr. Todd Lyons, Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Mr. Charles Wall, Deputy Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Anthony Salisbury, White House Deputy Homeland Security Advisor to the President and Executive Associate Director of Homeland Security Investigations. Mr. Marcos Charles, Acting Executive Associate Director of Enforcement and Removal Operations, Mr. John Condon, Acting Executive Associate Director of Homeland Security Investigations, Ms. Susan Dunbar, Executive Associate Director of Management and Administration. Ms. Jennifer Fenton, Associate Director of the Office of Professional Responsibility, Ms. Beth Boden, Acting Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Robin Kilgore, Mr. Kalin Wagers, Mr. David Venturella, Ms. Megan Echtenkamp, and Mr. John Cooper.
(07:38)
At this time, it's my honor to present ICE's Acting Director, Mr. Todd Lyons. Take a seat.
Todd Lyons (07:55):
Good afternoon. Thank you all for being part of this solemn remembered ceremony. We reflect on the shared burden carried across generations of customs officers, INS inspectors, and ICE personnel. I'd also like to take a moment to recognize our former ICE officials, Mr. Tae Johnson, Dan Ragsdale, Matt Albins, Ms. Julie Myers food, John Torres. And sir, most importantly, thank you to Secretary Mullin for coming here today. We really do appreciate it. Also, I'd like to thank our attorney, Jimmy Percival, for being here as well. This is a very special time for all of us and we're very happy that you're all here.
(08:37)
To the men and women wearing the badge today, to our retirees, survivors, honored guests, thank you for joining us. We pause to remember those who gave their lives in service to this great nation. Police week is sacred, not because of ceremony, but because behind every name we honor was a human being, a son, a daughter, a husband, a wife, a mother, a father, a partner, and a friend. Someone who kissed their family goodbye one last time without knowing it would be the last time.
(09:09)
Today we remember officers and agents from ICE, from former immigration and naturalization services, and from the former U.S. Custom Service. These are generations of law enforcement professionals who stood watch over this nation, accepted the risks most Americans will never fully understand. They didn't ask for recognition or reward. They served because it was the right thing to do, and because they believed that the country was worth it. They know people mattered besides them. They understood that sometimes service demands sacrifice, and now we feel their loss every day. So do the families through the empty chairs at dinner, milestones, and children who grew up hearing the stories of their parents but not from their voices. That is the true cost of this profession.
(09:57)
Those of us who've watched have not yet ended, but we can never forget our most solemn obligation, we must remember. The men and women of ICE and those who came before wearing different badges have always known that this job isn't easy. Yet officers and agents that I'm talking about, the men and women behind those badges, all felt the same pull to serve, the same calling, the same sense of duty, and that they were part of our law enforcement family. Our family is informed by DNA, it is forced through loyalty, service, and the willingness to stand beside one another and carry each other when it matters the most.
(10:38)
That is most especially true in an organization like ours. And as I look out today in the room, I see resilience. I see people who deal with some of the most stressful situation imaginable with grace and professionalism. I see determination, commitment, and hope. I see people who have had to say goodbye too soon to colleagues, partners, and friends, and somehow still found the strength to put the badge on the next morning. That takes extraordinary courage, not the kind of courage you see in movies, but real courage. The kind that hurts, the kind that asks something from you every single day.
(11:14)
Today is not about one officer or an agent, but about all of them, about all of us. It's about those we lost and our promise that we will never forget. We will speak their names, remember their service, care for their families and friends that were left behind, and live in a way that proves their sacrifice mattered. For us, remembrance is not passive, it's a commitment to ensuring that our fallen officers and agents will not disappear into history. And that future generations know what they gave, and that as long as this agency exists, they'll remain a part of it. So today we honor them, we mourn them, and we thank them. With that, I'd like to invite up Deputy Director Charlie Wall.
Charlie Wall (12:07):
Thank you, Director Lyons. Good afternoon and thank you all for being here with us today. We are here for a shared purpose, to honor the memory of the brave men and women of ICE and its legacy agencies who gave their lives in service to this country.
(12:23)
Public service, especially in an organization like ours, is never easy. It asks a great deal from the people who choose it. And yet generation after generation courageous men and women continue stepping forward because they believe in protecting this country and serving others.
(12:42)
Today is about sacrifice, today is about duty. For those of us connected to law enforcement, this week carries a weight that is difficult to put into words. Moments like this force us to pause and reflect on the true cost of public service.
Charlie Wall (13:00):
This isn't abstract. We're talking about the lives of real people who choose to serve something greater than themselves. The men and women we honor today came from different backgrounds, different offices, and different generations, but they shared the same commitment: a commitment to protecting this country and keeping its people safe. They understood that service demands sacrifice, time away from loved ones, missed milestones, long days that turn into even longer nights. And in these cases, they made the ultimate sacrifice.
(13:40)
Today, we remember not only how their watches ended, but how they lived with courage, integrity, and devotion. We also recognize the family, friends, and colleagues who carry their loss forward every day. While no ceremony or memorial can erase the pain of that loss, we're here to ensure that the men and women we honor today are never reduced to merely names etched into the wall outside those doors. They were people. They were colleagues, friends, and family. And their service and sacrifice matter.
(14:20)
Let us remember that this nation's strength has always depended on the men and women willing to serve something greater than themselves. The fallen officers and agents we honor today accepted that responsibility with courage, humility, and an unwavering sense of duty. They gave this country their time, their energy, their dedication, and ultimately, their lives. We must never forget their sacrifice, and we must honor these men and women through the way that we serve, the way we lead, and the way we look out for one another. May we never take their sacrifice for granted, and may we always remain worthy of it. Thank you.
Todd Lyons (15:08):
Thank you. It's my distinct honor and privilege to introduce the Honorable Secretary of Homeland Security, Mr. Markwayne Mullin.
Secretary Markwayne Mullin (15:25):
Is there a way to turn the teleprompter off? Guys, first of all, thank you for this opportunity. Using the word honorable in front of my name makes most people laugh that actually know me, especially my family. Thank you.
(15:49)
We're here to celebrate the ultimate sacrifice that law enforcement agents have paid on our behalf. It's always tough to speak at these because it's a memorial service in some degree, but it's actually a celebration of life because, I've said this a lot and I'm going to continue to say it, that there is no better example of love than when someone actually lays down their life for you. And there isn't a single law enforcement, male or female, agent or officer out there that isn't willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice for people they don't even know. And this is a prime example of that. And there isn't one single law enforcement agent or officer out there that doesn't have family that loves them. Their family loves them as much as my family loves myself.
(16:54)
Every agent out there has people that are praying for them every time they walk out of the house, and they want them to come home, but they also know that the duty that they swore to do was to make sure that everybody else gets home first. And that's wonderful. I mean, if you think about that, it's wonderful because they're willing to pay the extra sacrifice for us to be safe, and yet for some reason, ICE has been demonized.
(17:22)
I walked in as secretary of DHS, but also walked into an agency that 18 months ago most American people didn't even know about. All they knew that you guys might exist, but they really didn't know because it wasn't on the TV all the time. And I know morale has taken an absolute tank, and I hate it, because our attitude reflects everyday sacrifice that we get to truly show the American people, because we have the greatest gift in the world. We get to protect the homeland. As a whole, we get to protect the homeland. We all know that we've decided to sign up for something that we're willing to truly pay the ultimate sacrifice for because we truly love our job.
(18:10)
I love what I get to do. I love the opportunity that I get to represent such an awesome agency that is tasked to take care of literally the worst of the worst. I love that. I get this opportunity. I hate that I'm not going to be able to work with Todd. I give him a hard time because he's a short timer, he's leaving us. But I would love the opportunity to work with you. And I look forward to working with everybody here too. I wake up every single morning, and I say, "Love the people, love the call." I pray for your families. I pray for you.
(18:48)
The biggest thing that I want to change is to bring pride back in your step every day. When you get up and you put on that badge, or you get up and you come to work in these offices, that you feel like you're making a difference, because you are. You are. I promise you you're making a difference. Every day you get up and you take somebody off the streets that shouldn't be there, you're making a difference. Every day I get up, I'm still smiling, but I'm also choosing the attitude I have when I start.
(19:31)
I get what the media says. I could give a rip about that. I get what they say about on social media. I don't read it. I just assume everybody loves me. My wife goes, "Oh, bless your heart." But I don't care because what I get to do, because I chose to do it, and what you get to do, because you chose to do it, is make a difference. And we get to decide how we're going to address that every day, how we're going to face that pressure that's coming in. If we want to listen to all the noise that's coming from the outside to try to distract us from doing our job, it can affect you.
(20:18)
I don't walk away from the fact that I stand here as a Christian in front of you. I do want to admit that I'm a very flawed Christian. I'm not perfect, but my life changed when I got saved when I was 20 years old. Until then, my dad said I was more likely to go to prison than I was to be successful. Truth is, I probably was going down that path. I watched this little movie called American History X that really changed my life, and I thought I'm never going to prison after that one. But I wasn't walking down the path that I should have been walking down until I realized there was something higher or there was something bigger than myself.
(20:56)
And it's when I dedicated my life to the Lord, but yet I still stand in front of you as a very imperfect person, but also believe in the word too. If you believe in the word, then you'll believe in Philippians 4:13, as what everybody always quote, and it says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." And I bet you there's somebody in this room that's got that tattooed on you. And I guarantee you, if you go to most of your officers, there's going to be somebody in the briefing room that's got that tattooed on them. It's like a rally cry, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
(21:32)
But if you actually get into Philippians 4, it's Paul talking about choosing an attitude. He has chose to have a good attitude no matter what he's going through. He's chose to decide, "Even if I'm locked up, because I know what it's like to be locked up and be beaten, I can still choose to know that I'm on the right path where the Lord wants me to go." He says, "I know what it's like to be free. I know what it's like to be hungry. I know what it's like to want. I know what it's like to be thirsty, and I know what it's like to have plenty to drink." He says, "I've dealt with every situation, and I've come to the conclusion that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
(22:20)
If any agency needs to hear that, it's ICE. No matter what the media wants to say, I know you're doing your job every day, and I want you to know I am proud to be part of it. I take it with tremendous pride, and I'm willing to stand beside you and stand in front of you and defend you every single day. And I mean this sincerely when I say this, I love you guys. I love your families. And I'm still going to get up every single morning, and I'm going to pray for you. How I keep my attitude straight? As I say this over and over again, I remind myself, love the people, love the call. You have to love your call or you wouldn't be here. And you do have a love for the people because you're getting the worst of the worst off the streets, and you're protecting those that just want to go out and walk their streets and be safe. You're giving them that opportunity one street at a time. May God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Thank you, Secretary Mullin, Director Lyons, and Deputy Director Wall for being here to honor our fallen heroes. Now, as a symbol of our everlasting memory and the respect that we hold for our fallen officers, we will conduct a roll call of our heroes.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
Edward Billings Webb.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
Joseph Sitter. Gerardo Pescara.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
C.N. Titcomb.
Speaker 4 (24:50):
Arthur M. Beaman.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
Arnold W. Gilbert.
Speaker 4 (25:24):
Daniel A. Romberger.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
Loy C. Henry.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
John Fasset.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
Anthony Cozza.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
... Cozza.
Speaker 6 (26:10):
George E. Spencer.
Speaker 5 (26:20):
Frank E. Chaffin.
Speaker 6 (26:31):
George D. Joyce.
Speaker 5 (26:43):
George M. Bacon.
Speaker 6 (26:53):
Benjamin Bert Stone.
Speaker 5 (27:04):
John... John Sellenthin.
Speaker 6 (27:17):
Timothy M. O'Riordan.
Speaker 5 (27:27):
William Henry Phillips.
Speaker 6 (27:38):
Louis David Dixon.
Speaker 5 (27:49):
Charles J. Bokinskie.
Speaker 6 (28:00):
Albert Feld.
Speaker 5 (28:12):
Joseph Monahan.
Speaker 6 (28:20):
William Haley.
Speaker 5 (28:30):
Renault R. Bayhi.
Speaker 6 (28:42):
George William Singleton.
Speaker 5 (28:54):
John M. Lacy.
Speaker 6 (29:05):
Michael J. Reimers.
Speaker 5 (29:17):
Dennis L. Van Patten.
Speaker 6 (29:27):
Roger L. Von Amelunxen.
Speaker 5 (29:38):
George J. Spencer.
Speaker 6 (29:49):
James Bernard Fuller.
Speaker 5 (30:00):
Morley Lester Miller.
Speaker 6 (30:11):
John Edwin Hollingsworth.
Speaker 5 (30:23):
Glen Robert Miles, Sr.
Speaker 6 (30:34):
James Darryl Taylor.
Speaker 5 (30:43):
David Louie Crater.
Speaker 6 (30:53):
George Reyes Saenz.
Speaker 5 (31:04):
Alan John Klumpp.
Speaker 6 (31:13):
Carl Richard Talafous.
Speaker 5 (31:22):
David Edmond DeLoach.
Speaker 6 (31:34):
Claude Arthur Medearis.
Speaker 5 (31:45):
Paul Douglas Ice.
Speaker 6 (31:55):
Anthony S. Minetto.
Speaker 5 (32:05):
Manuel Zurita VII.
Speaker 6 (32:17):
Juan Gilberto Reyes Orellana.
Speaker 5 (32:28):
Gary Paul Friedli.
Speaker 6 (32:39):
Pedro J. Rodriguez-Franco.
Speaker 5 (32:52):
Tommy Kwok Chin.
Speaker 6 (33:01):
Lorenzo Roberto Gomez.
Speaker 5 (33:12):
David Gray Wilhelm.
Speaker 6 (33:22):
Jaime Jorge Zapata.
Speaker 5 (33:32):
Edward J. Smith.
Speaker 6 (33:42):
Robert T. Williams.
Speaker 5 (33:52):
J. Scott McGuire.
Speaker 6 (34:02):
Brian P. Beliso.
Speaker 5 (34:11):
Thomas Michael Wischerth.
Speaker 6 (34:22):
Timothy A. Ensley.
Speaker 5 (34:32):
Dennis P. McCarthy.
Speaker 6 (34:43):
Ronald R. Phillips.
Speaker 5 (34:55):
Juan Rojas.
Speaker 6 (35:07):
Danny K. Laughner, Jr.
Speaker 5 (35:17):
Louis H. Aguirre.
Speaker 6 (35:28):
Bradley J. Harris.
Speaker 5 (35:39):
James Dale Holdman, Jr.
Speaker 6 (35:51):
Ronald Mason Hunter Jr.
Speaker 5 (36:04):
Miguel A. Ortiz.
Speaker 6 (36:16):
Roberto C. Cantu.
Speaker 5 (36:29):
Olynthia J. Turner.
Speaker 6 (36:40):
Bradley K. Kam.
Speaker 5 (36:53):
Rosa E. Vasquez.
Speaker 6 (37:05):
David Mize.
Speaker 5 (37:17):
William Hayes.
Speaker 6 (37:29):
Brian Wayne Turner.
Speaker 5 (37:39):
Peter Christopher Egan.
Speaker 6 (37:50):
Rachel Vielmas.
Speaker 7 (38:01):
Robert Castioni, Jr.
Speaker 6 (38:12):
Joseph S. Love.
Monsignor Criscuolo (44:12):
Let us now bow our heads in prayer. Gracious God, as we depart from this place of remembrance, may the memory of our fallen heroes remain forever present in our hearts. May we never take leave and take for granted the sacrifices and the values that they upheld. Grant us the strength to carry on in their mission and the courage and dedication that is needed.
(44:40)
Bless and protect those who continue to serve in ICE and all who wear the badge in service of others. May peace around us, may hope guide us, and may the love of God bind us together as one. Let us go now in peace and may the light of this sacrifice continue to shine in our hearts forever. Amen.
Speaker 9 (45:13):
I wanted to take this opportunity to recognize the members of our workforce who joined us here today. Your commitment to honoring our fallen is clear. Thank you for joining us to reflect on the enormous sacrifices our colleagues and their families have made. Please stand for the departure of the colors, the official party, and the fallen officer and agent's loved ones.
Speaker 8 (45:33):
Front row.
Speaker 9 (46:49):
This concludes today's ceremony. Please wait for an usher to dismiss your row before exiting the room. Thank you.