David Venturella

David J. Venturella (born 1965 or 1966) is an American former law enforcement officer who has served as the acting director of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement since June 1, 2026.

Early life David J. Venturella was born in 1965 or 1966. Venturella is the son of an immigrant. He attended Bloom Trail High School. Venturella graduated from Bradley University with a Bachelor of Science.

Career Immigration enforcement (1986–2012) Venturella began working in immigration enforcement in 1986. By December 1996, he had become a spokesman for the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service in Chicago. By January 1997, he was the acting director of the service's district office in Chicago and was the acting deputy director of the office by March.

Venturella had transferred to the Immigration and Naturalization Service's headquarters as an assistant commissioner for detention and deportation by August 1999. A Cuban prisoner whose flight to Cuba was redirected to Louisiana sued several officials, including Venturella, over the incident in April 2000. After the Immigration and Naturalization Service was abolished in 2003, Venturella became an assistant director of the Office of Detention and Removal Operations within Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He later became the office's director. By August, Venturella had left the agency.

By October 2008, Venturella had become the executive director of the Secure Communities program. He had left that position by November 2011. By April 2012, he had transferred to a position overseeing Immigration and Customs Enforcement's field offices.

Private sector (2012–2025) In 2012, Venturella joined the GEO Group to oversee business development. Venturella left the GEO Group in 2023, but continued serving as a paid consultant until 2025. In July, Venturella became the deputy official overseeing a division that manages contracts for immigrant detention centers.