**Madison Sheahan Steps Down from ICE to Run for Ohio’s 9th Congressional District**
*By OAN Staff Cory Hawkins and Brooke Mallory | 5:11 PM Thursday, January 15, 2026*
Madison Sheahan, the Deputy Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), announced her resignation on Thursday to launch her campaign for Ohio’s 9th Congressional District.
Branding herself as a key architect of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, Sheahan released a campaign launch video highlighting the historic scale of recent deportations and her role in securing American neighborhoods.
The 28-year-old Trump ally and close confidante of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem is challenging incumbent Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), whom she labels a “swamp” politician disconnected from her constituents.
> “In just one year, we’ve made history, recruiting 12,000 new ICE officers and agents, and deporting over 2.5 million illegal aliens. Ohio neighborhoods are safer thanks to President Trump and ICE,” Sheahan stated.
Sheahan is now vying to represent Ohio’s 9th Congressional District, a seat currently held by Marcy Kaptur, who was re-elected in November 2024 despite many district counties favoring Trump that year.
> “For too long, Northwest Ohio has been represented by a career politician who has grown comfortable with the swamp and disconnected from the people back home,” Sheahan said. “I am running because President Trump deserves a Congress that stands firmly behind his agenda, and Ohio deserves an elected Representative that will make America safer, more affordable, and more prosperous.”
Sheahan’s rapid political rise is closely tied to her relationship with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who transitioned from South Dakota’s governorship to lead the DHS in 2025.
Noem confirmed Sheahan’s departure from ICE and praised her leadership:
> “I’ve known her for years, she loves her family, Ohio, and her country. She will be a great defender of freedom when she goes to Congress,” Noem said, calling Sheahan “a terrific leader who led the men and women of ICE to achieve the American people’s mandate to target, arrest, and deport criminal illegal aliens.”
Noem added,
> “Madison Sheahan is a workhorse, strong executor, and terrific leader who led the men and women of ICE to achieve the American people’s mandate to target, arrest, and deport criminal illegal aliens. We wish her all the best.”
According to the official ICE website, Sheahan previously served as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, where she managed a $280 million budget and led a team of over 800 employees across multiple divisions.
The 9th District race is currently rated as a “Toss Up” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
A native of Curtice, Ohio, and a former Ohio State University rower, Madison Sheahan graduated in 2019 with a degree in public affairs.
Despite lacking a traditional law enforcement background, Sheahan rose swiftly through GOP ranks, serving as Political Director for then-Governor Noem and Executive Director of the South Dakota Republican Party.
Sheahan now returns to Ohio to challenge Kaptur in a district that has grown increasingly conservative. After Kaptur’s narrow victory in 2024, where she failed to secure 50% of the vote, many analysts view the district as a “Lean Republican” pickup opportunity for Sheahan.
*Note:* “Lean Republican” races indicate Republican candidates hold an advantage, but outcomes remain competitive enough for Democrats to potentially flip the seat.
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https://www.oann.com/newsroom/ice-deputy-director-madison-sheahan-steps-down-from-role-to-pursue-ohio-house-bid/