Madison Sheahan Resigns as ICE Deputy to Challenge Rep. Marcy Kaptur in Ohio’s 9th District
Madison Sheahan resigned as ICE deputy to run as a Republican against 22-term Rep. Marcy Kaptur in Ohio’s redrawn 9th District, emphasizing immigration enforcement credentials.
Overview
Who: Madison Sheahan, 28, former ICE deputy director and Trump ally, resigned to run for Congress, citing immigration enforcement achievements and Ohio roots.
What: Sheahan launched her campaign video Jan. 15, saying she stopped more illegal immigration in under a year than Rep. Marcy Kaptur did in 43 years.
Where: The race is Ohio’s 9th District, centered on Toledo and northwest Lake Erie, recently redrawn to favor Republicans and listed as a Cook toss-up for 2026.
Why: Sheahan frames her bid as defending jobs, paychecks and American values, criticizing Kaptur’s record on border funding and social spending for harming constituents.
When/how: Sheahan resigned from ICE and posted her resignation on X, thanking President Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem while joining a crowded GOP primary.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this story neutrally, balancing the candidate’s claims with factual context and opposition response. They quote Sheahan’s immigration assertions and her 'Trump conservative' label, note Kaptur campaign rebuttals, provide objective data (Cook ratings, redistricting margins, past election results), and avoid loaded editorial language.
Sources (12)
FAQ
Madison Sheahan, born February 9, 1997, graduated from Ohio State University in 2019 with a degree in public affairs. She served as Political Director for Governor Kristi Noem in South Dakota (2021-2024), Executive Director of the South Dakota Republican Party (2023-2024), and Secretary of Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (2024-2025), where she created a Special Operations Group. Appointed ICE Deputy Director in March 2025.[1]
Sheahan resigned on January 15, 2026, to run as a Republican for Congress in Ohio's 9th Congressional District against Rep. Marcy Kaptur, emphasizing her immigration enforcement record and criticizing Kaptur's border policies.[2]
As ICE Deputy Director since March 2025, Sheahan oversaw 20,000+ employees, including criminal investigators and removal operations, led a major hiring push for deportations under Trump, and worked closely with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. She claimed to have strengthened the agency.
Ohio's 9th District, centered on Toledo, was redrawn to favor Republicans and is a Cook Political Report toss-up for 2026. Sheahan faces a crowded GOP primary to challenge 22-term Democrat Rep. Marcy Kaptur.[story]
Critics noted her young age (28), lack of prior law enforcement experience, and rapid rise, leading to backlash from ICE veterans. Her tenure coincided with agency scandals and enforcement dysfunction amid a hiring surge.
History
5 sources