U.S. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks announced his immediate resignation Thursday after 37 years in federal law enforcement, framing the move as a return to Texas to prioritize family and ranch life following what he described as transforming the southern border from “the least secure, disastrous, chaotic” condition to “the most secure border this country has ever seen.”

Banks informed Border Patrol staff of his retirement decision during Thursday’s briefing, stating it was “just time” to step down. Three Department of Homeland Security sources confirmed his departure to CBS News, with Banks citing his extensive background—including a decade in the U.S. Navy and prior service as Texas border czar under Governor Greg Abbott—as key to achieving the agency’s turnaround.

The resignation follows Banks’ January 2025 appointment by President Trump after Biden’s administration left office, during which he was tasked with restoring operational control of the southern border amid heightened enforcement efforts. Banks emphasized a “dramatic reduction in illegal crossings” under his leadership and credited Border Patrol personnel for the agency’s improved security posture.

His farewell message to staff highlighted the agency’s progress since taking office, calling it an “amazing” accomplishment. The sudden resignation leaves the Border Patrol without an immediately named successor as the Department of Homeland Security prepares for a leadership transition. Banks’ departure occurs after he publicly positioned the border as having reached its most secure state under his tenure—a claim that has been central to his public narrative since assuming command.