Madison Sheahan

Madison Sheahan
Sheahan in 2025
Deputy Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
In office
March 9, 2025 – January 15, 2026
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byKenneth Genalo (acting)
Succeeded byCharles Wall
Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
In office
January 8, 2024 – March 9, 2025
GovernorJeff Landry
Preceded byRobert Shadoin
Succeeded byTyler Bosworth
Personal details
Born (1997-02-09) February 9, 1997 (age 29)
Curtice, Ohio, U.S.
PartyRepublican
EducationOhio State University (BA)

Madison Dean Sheahan (born February 9, 1997) is an American government official who served as the deputy director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from March 2025 to January 2026.

Early life and education

Sheahan was born to Laura (Lafferty) and Roger Sheahan on February 9, 1997. She grew up in Curtice, Ohio, and attended Genoa Area High School, graduating in 2015.

Sheahan attended Ohio State University from 2016 through 2019 where she was a member of the women's rowing team that won two Big Ten Championship titles. Sheahan graduated from Ohio State University in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in public affairs from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs.

Career

State career

Sheahan worked with then-governor Kristi Noem as her political director from February 2021 to January 2024. She was the executive director of the South Dakota Republican Party from January 2023 to January 2024.

Sheahan served as the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries under Governor Jeff Landry from January 2024 until March 2025. During this time, she created a special operations group to assist enforcement efforts during events like Mardi Gras and the Super Bowl, partnering with the Louisiana State Police. That group responded during the 2025 New Orleans truck attack.

Federal career

In March 2025, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that Sheahan would be the deputy director of ICE.

On January 15, 2026, Sheahan announced she would be resigning as deputy director.

2026 congressional bid

Sheahan indicated in social media posts that she was leaving Homeland Security to run for Ohio's 9th congressional district in the May 2026 Republican primary election. The seat is considered one of the Republican's prime targets, seeking to unseat incumbent Democrat Marcy Kaptur. During the primary Sheahan was targeted for the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti and her connections to Kristi Noem. Donald Trump did not make an endorsement in the primary. She lost to former state representative Derek Merrin who had been the candidate in 2024, coming in third place with 11,501 votes or 20.21% of the electorate.

References

  1. 1 2 "FOP Applauds Appointment of Madison D. Sheahan to be ICE Deputy Director". Fraternal Order of Police. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Norris, Megan (March 10, 2025). "Secretary Noem Taps Former Aide Madison Sheahan as Deputy Director of ICE". Homeland Security Today. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Momany, Alice (March 17, 2025). "Northwest Ohio native takes on position with ICE". Toledo Blade. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Madison Sheahan | 2019 | Rowing". Ohio State. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Ohio State | row2k College Rowing Teams HQ". row2k.com. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Madison Sheahan, State of Louisiana". Retrieved September 24, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Madison Sheahan Deputy Director". United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Meet the Executive Staff – Secretary – Tyler M. Bosworth". Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
  9. ↑ Montoya-Galvez, Camilo (January 15, 2026). "Madison Sheahan, ICE's No. 2 official and a Noem ally, leaving agency to run for Congress". CBS News. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  10. ↑ Hesson, Ted (January 15, 2026). "No. 2 US ICE official Madison Sheahan leaving agency to run for Congress". Reuters. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Pellish, Aaron (May 5, 2026). "Former ICE official falls short in Ohio battleground district GOP primary". Politico. Retrieved May 6, 2026.