John P. Torres
Encyclopedia
John P. Torres was acting assistant secretary of homeland security for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He was appointed on November 17, 2008.
career with the former Immigration and Naturalization Service
(INS) in 1986. During his time in the former INS, Torres played several key roles. Early in his career, Torres was a decorated member of a highly successful undercover investigative unit in Los Angeles
. In 1992 during the Los Angeles riots, he was assigned to duty at the Newton and Rampart Divisions of the Los Angeles Police Department
.
In 1999, Torres was designated the INS investigative lead for the railway serial killer investigation of Rafael Resendez-Ramirez in Texas
. In 1997, Torres was assigned to the FBI Headquarters International Terrorism Operations Section, and later designated as the first INS Special Agent in the Usama Bin Laden Unit. In that capacity, he managed investigations of the East Africa embassy bombings, the millennium attack plot to bomb the Los Angeles International Airport
and other international sites, the Khobar Towers attack, and the plot to bomb American airliners over the Pacific Ocean
. Following the 9/11 attacks, Torres returned to Washington
and was assigned to the subsequent investigation at FBI headquarters.
In addition to being a key member of several investigations, Torres also developed the Law Enforcement Support Center in Burlington, Vermont
, which has become an integral piece to coordination between ICE and other law enforcement agencies.
From June 2005 to March 2008, John Torres was the Director of the Office of Detention and Removal Operations for ICE within the Department of Homeland Security. In his capacity as Director, Torres oversaw an authorized workforce of more than 6,700 employees, including nearly 6,000 sworn law enforcement officers assigned to 24 field offices nationwide, managed an operating budget of over $2 billion, ended the practice of “catch and release” and transitioned the Criminal Alien Program from the Office of Investigations to DRO. In Fiscal Year 2007, DRO removed over 282,000 foreign nationals; eliminated more than 140,000 fugitive cases from the fugitive backlog; issued 164,296 charging documents through the Criminal Alien Program; and expanded detention capacity to 27,500 from 18,500 in Fiscal Year 2005.
Torres previously served as Deputy Assistant Director for Smuggling and Public Safety in ICE Office of Investigations, where he oversaw the implementation of ICE's anti-gang initiative Operation Community Shield, the ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers (IMAGE) program, and the establishment of ICE’s Document and Benefit Fraud task forces. He previously served as the Special Agent-in-Charge of the Newark
ICE office, where he oversaw ICE’s participation in several major multi-agency investigations, including an international child pornography investigation resulting in the arrests of over 2,000 people internationally; and an undercover investigation involving the purchase of surface-to-air missiles from international arms brokers for the purpose of downing American airliners.
Early career
Torres began his law enforcementLaw enforcement
Law enforcement broadly refers to any system by which some members of society act in an organized manner to promote adherence to the law by discovering and punishing persons who violate the rules and norms governing that society...
career with the former Immigration and Naturalization Service
Immigration and Naturalization Service
The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service , now referred to as Legacy INS, ceased to exist under that name on March 1, 2003, when most of its functions were transferred from the Department of Justice to three new components within the newly created Department of Homeland Security, as...
(INS) in 1986. During his time in the former INS, Torres played several key roles. Early in his career, Torres was a decorated member of a highly successful undercover investigative unit in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. In 1992 during the Los Angeles riots, he was assigned to duty at the Newton and Rampart Divisions of the Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
.
In 1999, Torres was designated the INS investigative lead for the railway serial killer investigation of Rafael Resendez-Ramirez in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. In 1997, Torres was assigned to the FBI Headquarters International Terrorism Operations Section, and later designated as the first INS Special Agent in the Usama Bin Laden Unit. In that capacity, he managed investigations of the East Africa embassy bombings, the millennium attack plot to bomb the Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
and other international sites, the Khobar Towers attack, and the plot to bomb American airliners over the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Following the 9/11 attacks, Torres returned to Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and was assigned to the subsequent investigation at FBI headquarters.
In addition to being a key member of several investigations, Torres also developed the Law Enforcement Support Center in Burlington, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
, which has become an integral piece to coordination between ICE and other law enforcement agencies.
Career at ICE
From March to November 2008, John Torres was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations for U.S. ICE. In this capacity, Torres was responsible for coordinating the efforts of the Office of Federal Protective Service (FPS), the National Firearms and Tactical Training Unit, the National Incident Response Unit, the Office of Detention and Removal Operations (DRO), the Office of Intelligence, the Office of International Affairs, the Office of Investigations (OI), and the Office of State and Local Coordination. Torres worked to ensure the most effective collaboration between each of these operational components of ICE in an effort to achieve the stated goals of the agency, and to realize the most efficient use of the agency’s resources toward that end.From June 2005 to March 2008, John Torres was the Director of the Office of Detention and Removal Operations for ICE within the Department of Homeland Security. In his capacity as Director, Torres oversaw an authorized workforce of more than 6,700 employees, including nearly 6,000 sworn law enforcement officers assigned to 24 field offices nationwide, managed an operating budget of over $2 billion, ended the practice of “catch and release” and transitioned the Criminal Alien Program from the Office of Investigations to DRO. In Fiscal Year 2007, DRO removed over 282,000 foreign nationals; eliminated more than 140,000 fugitive cases from the fugitive backlog; issued 164,296 charging documents through the Criminal Alien Program; and expanded detention capacity to 27,500 from 18,500 in Fiscal Year 2005.
Torres previously served as Deputy Assistant Director for Smuggling and Public Safety in ICE Office of Investigations, where he oversaw the implementation of ICE's anti-gang initiative Operation Community Shield, the ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers (IMAGE) program, and the establishment of ICE’s Document and Benefit Fraud task forces. He previously served as the Special Agent-in-Charge of the Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
ICE office, where he oversaw ICE’s participation in several major multi-agency investigations, including an international child pornography investigation resulting in the arrests of over 2,000 people internationally; and an undercover investigation involving the purchase of surface-to-air missiles from international arms brokers for the purpose of downing American airliners.