U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (
ICE) is a federal law enforcement agency under the
United States Department of Homeland SecurityThe United States Department of Homeland Security is a Cabinet department of the United States federal government with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the U.S...
(DHS), responsible for identifying, investigating, and dismantling vulnerabilities regarding the nation's border, economic, transportation, and infrastructure security. Headquartered in
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, founded on July 16, 1790...
, ICE is charged with the investigation and enforcement of over 400 federal statutes within the United States, and maintains attaches at major U.S. embassies overseas. Consequently, ICE special agents possess the broadest investigative authority within the United States government.
ICE is led by an Assistant Secretary, who is appointed at the sub-Cabinet level by the
President of the United StatesThe President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition...
,
confirmedAdvice and consent is an English phrase frequently used in enacting formulae of bills and in other legal or constitutional contexts, describing a situation in which the executive branch of a government enacts something previously approved of by the legislative branch.-General:The expression is...
by the
SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the lower house being the House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate and the House are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution . Each U.S state is represented by two senators,...
, and reports directly to the
Secretary of Homeland SecurityThe United States Secretary of Homeland Security is the head of the United States Department of Homeland Security, the body concerned with protecting the American homeland and the safety of American citizens. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet. The position was created by the...
. The mission of ICE is to protect the United States and uphold public safety by targeting the people, money and materials that support terrorist and criminal activities.
History
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was formed pursuant to the
Homeland Security ActThe Homeland Security Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-296, 116 Stat. 2135 , introduced in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, created the United States Department of Homeland Security in the largest federal government reorganization since the Department of Defense was created via the National...
of 2002 following the events of September 11, 2001. With the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security the functions and jurisdictions of several border and revenue enforcement agencies were combined and consolidated into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Consequently, ICE is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, and the second largest contributor to the nation's
Joint Terrorism Task ForceA Joint Terrorism Task Force is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, other federal agencies A Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, other federal agencies A Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) is a partnership between...
(after the
Federal Bureau of InvestigationThe Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency. The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
).
The agencies that were either moved entirely or merged in part into ICE included the investigative and intelligence resources of the
United States Customs ServiceUntil March 2003, the United States Customs Service was an agency of the U.S. federal government that collected import tariffs and performed other selected border security duties....
, the criminal investigation resources of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the
United States Federal Protective ServiceFor the Russian Federal Protective Service see:Federal Protective Service The Federal Protective Service is a component of U.S...
. Consequently, ICE is also charged with the protection of federal buildings within the United States. At one point, the Federal Air Marshals Service was moved from the
Transportation Security AdministrationThe Transportation Security Administration is a U.S. government law enforcement agency that was created as part of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush on November 19, 2001. The TSA was originally organized in the...
to ICE, but they were eventually moved back to the TSA.
Organization
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is responsible for identifying and eliminating border, economic, transportation, and infrastructure security vulnerabilities. ICE has an estimated 15,000 employees in 400 domestic and 50 international offices, though another official figure counts 17,200 employees. The organization is composed of four law enforcement divisions and several support divisions each headed by a director who reports to a Deputy Assistant Secretary. The divisions of ICE provide investigation, interdiction and security services to the public and other law enforcement partners in the federal and local sectors
Office of Investigations
OI uses its broad legal authority to investigate and combat a range of issues that threaten the
national securityNational security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the nation-state through the use of economic, military and political power and the exercise of diplomacy.Measures taken to ensure national security include:...
of the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
such as strategic crimes, human rights violations,
people smugglingPeople smuggling is a term which is used to describe transportation of people across international borders to a non-official entry point of a destination country for a variety of reasons...
,
art theftArt theft is the theft of art. This is usually done for the purpose of resale or ransom; occasionally thieves are also commissioned by dedicated private collectors...
,
human traffickingHuman trafficking is the practice of people being tricked, lured or otherwise removed from their home or country, and then compelled to work with no or low payment or on terms which are highly exploitative. The practice is considered to be trade or commerce in people, which has many features of...
, drug trafficking, arms trafficking and other types of
smugglingSmuggling, also known as trafficking, is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons past a point where prohibited, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
(including
weapons of mass destructionThe term weapon of mass destruction is often used to describe a weapon that can kill large numbers of humans and/or cause great damage to man-made structures , natural structures , or the biosphere in general....
), immigration crimes, gang investigations, financial crimes,
terrorismTerrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion.At present, there is no internationally agreed definition of terrorism...
,
computer crimeComputer crime can broadly be defined as criminal activity involving an information technology infrastructure, including illegal access , illegal interception , data interference Computer crime can broadly be defined as criminal activity involving an information technology infrastructure, including...
s, and import/export enforcement issues. ICE
special agentSpecial agent is usually the title for a detective or investigator for a state, county, municipal, federal or tribal government.A special agent is not a 'spy' , but an investigator. An agent is a worker for any other federal agency, and a secret agent is one who works for an intelligence...
s also conduct investigations aimed at protecting critical infrastructure industries that are vulnerable to
sabotageSabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions...
, attack or exploitation.
Office of Federal Protective Service
The
United States Federal Protective ServiceFor the Russian Federal Protective Service see:Federal Protective Service The Federal Protective Service is a component of U.S...
(FPS) is responsible for policing, securing, and ensuring a safe environment in which federal agencies can conduct their business by reducing threats posed against the more than 9,000
federal governmentThe federal government of the United States is the central government entity established by the United States Constitution, which shares sovereignty over the United States with the governments of the individual U.S. states. The federal government has three branches: the legislative, executive, and...
facilities and interests nationwide. FPS is divided into 11 regions and has some of the broadest jurisdiction and responsibility in the federal law enforcement sector. FPS inspectors/federal agents perform all duties attendant to the normal interpretation of a federal police officer function, including maintaining law and order, preventing or deterring disturbances, and investigating criminal activity. ICE/FPS inspectors/officers frequently deploy to FEMA-declared disaster areas as well as to National Special Security Events to provide police and protection services. These agents also perform threat assessments of federal properties and facilitate the overall protection of those assets and the people associated with them. FPS employs over 1,100 federal law enforcement officials nationwide, and over 15,000 contract security guards to perform its mission.
Office of Intelligence
The Office of Intelligence uses its Intelligence Research Specialists for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of strategic and tactical
intelligenceIntelligence refers to discrete information with currency and relevance, and the abstraction, evaluation, and understanding of such information for its accuracy and value...
data for use by the operational elements of ICE and DHS. Consequently, the Office of Intelligence works closely with the
Central Intelligence AgencyThe Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government.It is an independent agency responsible for providing national security intelligence to senior United States policymakers....
, the
Federal Bureau of InvestigationThe Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency. The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
and
U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionU.S. Customs and Border Protection is a federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing hundreds of U.S...
.
Office of Detention and Removal
DRO is responsible for enforcing the nation's immigration laws and ensuring the departure of all removable aliens from the United States. DRO uses its Immigration Enforcement Agents (IEA) to interdict, apprehend, and remove criminal aliens found in the nation's jails and
prisonA prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Other terms are penitentiary, correctional facility, and jail , although in the United States "jail" and "prison" refer to different subtypes of correctional facility...
s. As such, IEAs are the uniformed presence of immigration enforcement within the interior of the United States. IEAs also are responsible for the transportation and detention of aliens in ICE custody. DRO uses its Deportation Officers to prosecute aliens for illegal re-entry after
deportationDeportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. The expulsion of natives is also called banishment, exile, or penal transportation. Deportation is an ancient practice: Khosrau I, Sassanid King of Persia, deported 292,000 citizens, slaves, and conquered people...
, monitor cases during deportation proceedings, supervise released aliens who are subject to deportation, and to remove aliens from the United States. Deportation Officers and IEAs also operate strategically placed Fugitive Operations Teams whose function is to locate, apprehend, and remove aliens who absconded from immigration proceedings and remain in the United States with an outstanding Warrant of Deportation. DRO custody management consists of a partnership with the
United States Marshals ServiceThe United States Marshals Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice and is the oldest federal law enforcement agency in the United States....
in operating
JPATSThe Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System is a United States federal government agency charged with the transportation of persons in legal custody between prisons, detaining centers, courthouses, and other places where they must be transported. It is also known to many as Con Air...
, the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System, otherwise known as Con-Air to remove criminal aliens from the United States.
Office of the Principal Legal Advisor
OPLA provides legal advice, training and services to support the ICE mission and defends the interests of the United States in the administrative and federal courts.
Office of Professional Responsibility
OPR is responsible for investigating allegations of misconduct involving employees of ICE and
U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionU.S. Customs and Border Protection is a federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing hundreds of U.S...
(CBP). OPR preserves the organizational integrity of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by impartially, independently and thoroughly investigating allegations of criminal or serious administrative misconduct by ICE and CBP employees worldwide. Additionally, OPR inspects and reviews ICE offices, operations and processes so as to provide executive management with independent reviews of the agency's organizational health. In this role, OPR assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of ICE in carrying out its mission.
Training
Newly hired ICE special agents, officers, deportation officers, immigration enforcement agents, and
Federal Protective ServiceFederal Protective Service may refer to:*United States Federal Protective Service, responsible for the security of Federal buildings*Federal Protective Service , the successor of the KGB Ninth Chief Directorate, now an independent organization...
officers/inspectors undergo initial entry training at the ICE Academy on the
Federal Law Enforcement Training CenterThe Federal Law Enforcement Training Center serves as an interagency law enforcement training organization for 82 United States Government Federal Law Enforcement agencies.-Location:...
in Glynco, Georgia. To meet division specific academic and practical instruction, the ICE Academy varies in length from 12 to 24 weeks depending on the position. Furthermore, following graduation, new ICE special agents and officers undergo additional post academy training, as well as career-continuous training, and are assigned to an ICE office anywhere in the nation as well as around the world. Professional support staff are also assigned to one of the many ICE offices.
National Security
The National Security Division monitors the conduct of field enforcement operations in the investigation, detection, interdiction, prosecution, and removal of alien terrorists, terrorist supporters, and hostile foreign intelligence agents located within the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. This branch also has operational oversight of all ICE
special agentSpecial agent is usually the title for a detective or investigator for a state, county, municipal, federal or tribal government.A special agent is not a 'spy' , but an investigator. An agent is a worker for any other federal agency, and a secret agent is one who works for an intelligence...
s assigned to the 66
Federal Bureau of InvestigationThe Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency. The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
Joint Terrorism Task ForceA Joint Terrorism Task Force is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, other federal agencies A Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, other federal agencies A Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) is a partnership between...
(JTTF), provides continuous support to all counter-terrorism investigations and ICE field offices supporting those counter-terrorism efforts and provides actionable proactive
counter-terrorismCounter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed....
lead information, in furtherance of preventing and disrupting alien terrorist cells domestically and abroad.
Operation Community Shield
In February 2005, ICE began Operation Community Shield, a national law enforcement initiative that targets violent transnational street gangs through the use of ICE's broad law enforcement powers, including the unique and powerful authority to remove (deport) criminal aliens, including illegal aliens and legal permanent resident aliens.
Under Operation Community Shield:
- Partners with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, in the United States and abroad, to develop a comprehensive and integrated approach in conducting criminal investigations and other law enforcement operations against violent street gangs and others who pose a threat to public safety.
- Identifies violent street gangs and develops intelligence on their membership, associates, criminal activities and international movements.
- Deters, disrupts and dismantles gang operations by tracing and seizing cash, weapons and other assets derived from criminal activities.
- Seeks prosecution and/or removal of alien gang members from the United States .
- Works closely with our attaché offices throughout Latin America and foreign law enforcement counterparts in gathering intelligence, sharing information and conducting coordinated enforcement operations.
- Conducts outreach efforts to increase public awareness about the fight against violent street gangs.
Operation Predator
ICE developed Operation Predator in 2003, an initiative to identify, investigate and arrest child predators and sexual offenders. Operation Predator draws on ICE's unique investigative and enforcement authorities to safeguard children. Coordinated nationally and internationally, Operation Predator brings together an array of ICE disciplines and resources to target these child sex abusers.
As part of the effort:
- ICE has created a National Child Victim Identification System in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, the Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice is a Cabinet department in the United States government designed to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans...
, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces and other agencies.
- ICE agents stationed internationally work with foreign governments, Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
and others to enhance coordination and cooperation on crimes that cross borders.
- ICE is a member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, joining law enforcement agencies around the world to fight child exploitation information and images that travel over the Internet.
Cyber Crimes
The Cyber Crimes Center (C3) Child Exploitation Section (CES) investigates the trans-border dimension of large-scale producers and distributors of images of child abuse, as well as individuals who travel in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in sex with minors. The CES employs the latest technology to collect evidence and track the activities of individuals and organized groups who sexually exploit children through the use of websites, chat rooms, newsgroups, and peer-to-peer trading. These investigative activities are organized under Operation Predator, a program managed by the CES. The CES also conducts clandestine operations throughout the world to identify and apprehend violators. The CES assists the field offices and routinely coordinates major investigations. The CES works closely with law enforcement agencies from around the world because the exploitation of children is a matter of global importance.
C3 brings the full range of ICE computer and forensic assets together in a single location to combat such Internet-related crimes as:
- Possession, manufacture and distribution of images of child abuse.
- International money laundering and illegal cyber-banking.
- Illegal arms trafficking and illegal export of strategic/controlled commodities.
- Drug trafficking (including prohibited pharmaceuticals).
- General Smuggling (including the trafficking in stolen art and antiquities; violations of the Endangered Species Act etc.)
- Intellectual property rights violations (including music and software).
- Immigration violations; identity and benefit fraud
C3 consists of four sections, three of which provide cyber technical and investigative services, the Cyber Crimes Section (CCS), the Child Exploitation Section (CES), and the Digital Forensic Section (DFS). The fourth section, the Information Technology and Administrative Section (ITAS), provides the technical and *operational infrastructure services necessary to support the other three C3 sections. The center is a co-location of special agents, intelligence research specialists, administrative support, and contractors, all of which are instrumental in operational and technical continuity. Within each section, there are various program managers assigned to certain programmatic areas. These program managers are responsible for supporting ICE Internet investigations through the generation and the dissemination of viable leads. Program managers are available to provide guidance and training to field agents as well as to other law enforcement (foreign and domestic) upon request.
Child Exploitation
The C3 CES investigates large-scale producers and distributors of images of child abuse as well as individuals who travel in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in sex with minors. The CES employs the latest technology to collect evidence and track the activities of individuals and organized groups who sexually exploit children through the use of websites, chat rooms, newsgroups and peer-to-peer trading. The CES also conducts clandestine operations throughout the world to identify and apprehend violators. The CES assists the field offices and routinely coordinates major investigations. The CES works closely with
law enforcement-Organizations:*Law enforcement organization*Law enforcement agency*Police*Military police*Secret police*Specialist law enforcement agencySee also List of law enforcement agencies-Powers:*Powers and Law Exemptions of a Law Enforcement Agency...
agencies from around the world because the exploitation of children is a matter of global importance.
- Operation Falcon — A joint international images of child abuse investigation initiated by ICE that identified 39 websites distributing child pornography. Further investigation led to the arrest of 1,200 international downloader’s and more than 300 U.S. customers. Nine individuals from the United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and BelarusBelarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the north. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel , Mahilyow and Vitebsk...
were identified and charged as the principals in this investigation. All principals were convicted on various charges related to money laundering, structuring and the production and distribution of images of child abuse.
- Operation Mango — An extensive investigation that closed down an American-owned beachside resort in Acapulco, Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, which offered children to sexual predators. The resort was a haven for pedophiles that traveled to the facility for the sole purpose of engaging in sex with minors. The proprietor of the business was convicted. As a result of this investigation and others, the government of MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
recently created a Federal task force to address crimes against children in its country.
- Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force — Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice is a Cabinet department in the United States government designed to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans...
(DOJ) Office of Juvenile Justice Programs, ICAC Task Force comprises 45 task forces. The task forces were created in cooperation with the DOJ ICAC to provide reporting, a means to provide a virtual pointer system for Child Exploitation and images of child abuse cases and secure collaboration for various Federal, State, and Local law enforcement organizations, task forces, and affiliated groups around the world. DHS/ICE strongly supports the efforts of the ICAC task forces as demonstrated by ICE special agents being active members of the ICACs throughout the United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Northern Virginia/Metro DC ICAC is housed at the DHS/ICE C3.
Cyber Crimes Section
The Cyber Crimes Section (CCS) is responsible for developing and coordinating investigations of Immigration and Customs violations where the
InternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standardized Internet Protocol Suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
is used to facilitate the criminal act. The CCS investigative responsibilities include fraud, theft of intellectual property rights, money laundering, identity and benefit fraud, the sale and distribution of narcotics and other controlled substances, illegal arms trafficking and the illegal export of strategic/controlled commodities and the smuggling and sale of other prohibited items such as art and cultural property. The CCS is involved in the development of
InternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standardized Internet Protocol Suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
undercover law enforcement investigative methodology, and new laws and regulations to strengthen U.S. Cyber-Border Security. C3 supports the ICE Office of Investigation’s (OI) domestic field offices, along with ICE foreign attachés offices with cyber technical, and covert online investigative support.
- Operations Apothecary – The CCS, the ICE Commercial Fraud Office and the National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Coordination Center have partnered together and launched a comprehensive Internet pharmaceutical initiative designed to target, arrest and prosecute individuals and organizations that are involved in the smuggling
Smuggling, also known as trafficking, is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons past a point where prohibited, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
of counterfeit pharmaceuticals of a controlled and non-controlled nature as well as scheduled narcotics via the InternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standardized Internet Protocol Suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. The focus is also on the affiliates of the rogue pharmacies that are typically operated by criminal enterprises whose sole purpose is to generate large sums of money, with no regard to the health and welfare of the public.
- Intellectual Property Rights - The CCS has encountered thousands of web sites based in the United States, as well as foreign that are engaged in the sale of counterfeit merchandise (including music and software) via the Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standardized Internet Protocol Suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. The CCS continues to work closely with the National IPR Coordination Center, the Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) at the DOJ, and industry representatives to identify web sites responsible for the sale of the counterfeit items.
- Arms and Strategic Technology - The CCS supports ICE’s mission to prevent proliferate countries, terrorists, trans-national criminals from obtaining strategic materials, funds and support and to protect the American public from the introduction weapons of mass destruction and other instruments of terror from entering the United States.
- Identify Fraud Initiative - The availability and use of fraudulent identification documents has always been a concern to the law enforcement community. While traditionally available from street sources, fraudulent identification and travel documents, of all types, are also readily available for sale via the Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standardized Internet Protocol Suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. In the post 9-11 world, fraudulent identity and travel documents are of an even greater concern to ICE because of the alarming threat they pose to ICE's primary mission of protecting the United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and its citizens, from threats arising from the movement of people and goods into and out of the country. With addressing these documents and their threat in mind, the CCS has sought to identify sources for fraudulent identity and immigration documents on the InternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standardized Internet Protocol Suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
National Security
- October 14, 2006, ICE removed Sayed Malike to Afghanistan
The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
. Malike came to the attention of ICE via the FBI because he attempted to purchase C4C4, C04, C.IV or C-4 may refer to:* C-4 , a type of plastic explosive* Hafdasa C-4, an Argentine submachine gunIn biology:* C4 carbon fixation, a pathway for carbon fixation in photosynthesis...
explosives, night visionNight vision is the ability to see in a dark environment. Whether by biological or technological means, night vision is made possible by a combination of two approaches: sufficient spectral range, and sufficient intensity range...
goggles, bullet proof vests, and drugs from an undercoverBeing undercover is disguising one's own identity or using an assumed identity for the purposes of gaining the trust of an individual or organization to learn secret information or to gain the trust of targeted individuals in order to gain information or evidence...
FBI agent. He was charged in the Eastern District of New York with the crime of lying to a federal law enforcement officer. Malike pled guilty to this offense on November 2, 2005. ICE placed him in removal proceedings based on this conviction. On June 1, 2006, an immigration judge ordered the removal of Malike from the United States.
- October 16, 2006, ICE successfully removed Jasvir Singh to India. An immigration judge ordered Singh’s removal on May 15, 2006 after ICE presented evidence that Singh attempted to purchase large quantities of weapons, including surface to air missiles, from undercover FBI agents. Singh told the agents that he was a member of Babbar Khalsa, a terrorist group in India
India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
, and that the weapons were to be used against the government of IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
.
- January 23, 2007, ICE removed Majid Al Massari to Saudi Arabia. Al Massari entered the United States on a student visa in 1993. On July 22, 2004, ICE arrested Al Massari after he had been convicted of a drug related offense. ICE charged Al Massari with being a visa overstay and placed him in removal proceedings. The ICE investigation revealed that he had been soliciting funds for a group called the Committee for the Defense of Legitimate Rights (CDLR). He also helped to run the group’s website. The CDLR is a front
Front may refer to:* The Front, 1976 film* "The Front" * Front , British men's magazine* Front , area where armies are engaged in conflict...
group for Al Qaeda. The CDLR is also publicly dedicated to the overthrowOverthrow may refer to:* Overthrow, a change in government, often achieved by force or through a coup.**The 5th October Overthrow, or Bulldozer Revolution, the events of 2000 that led to the downfall of Slobodan Milošević in the former Yugoslavia....
of the Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia , is an Arab country and the largest country of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Jordan on the northwest, Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the south...
n government and the installation of an Islamist government in its place. On June 27, 2005, an immigration judge ordered the removal of Al Massari from the United States.
- March 6, 2007, ICE removed Muhammed Abdi Afrid to Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
. Afrid was paroled into the United States on March 5, 2003 to face federal criminal charges in California. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
charged Afrid with conspiracy to distribute hashish and heroin and conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist group based on an incident in China on September 16, 2002 wherein Afrid attempted to purchase stinger missiles from an undercover U.S. agent in exchange for five tons of hashish and 600 kilograms of heroinHeroin, or diacetylmorphine , also known as diamorphine , is a semi-synthetic opioid drug synthesized from morphine, a derivative of the opium poppy. It is the 3,6-diacetyl ester of morphine...
. Afrid planned to sell the missiles to the Taliban. On April 3, 2006, Afrid received s five year sentence to federal prison for these offenses. ICE placed Afrid in removal proceedings and charged him with being removable on account of his criminal conviction. An immigration judge ordered his removal on December 14, 2006.
- On September 12, 2008, ICE successfully removed Sarafat Mohamed to Egypt. Mohamed was an Imam for the Hoda Islamic Center in Gainesville, Florida. Mohamed entered the United States on October 26, 1999 on a non - immigrant religious worker visa. He later obtained a special immigrant religious worker visa. He applied to become a lawful permanent resident in 2001. The FBI interviewed Mohamed in 2005. Mohamed confessed to the FBI that he was a founding member of Takfir Wal Higra (TWH). TWH was an Egyptian based terrorist organization responsible for the 1977 kidnapping and murder of the Egyptian Minister of Islamic Endowment, Mohamed Hussain Al Zahabi. TWH was notable because, unlike many other radical Islamic groups, it did not refrain from murdering other Muslims. Though Mohamed denied any role in the murder, he admitted to being a recruiter for TWH. He also admitted that he served as the religious leader for TWH. After the murder, Egyptian authorities arrested many members of TWH, including Mohamed. He was convicted for his membership in the organization and served a 20 year prison sentence. Mohamed failed to include his arrest and conviction in his application to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services is a bureau of the United States Department of Homeland Security . It performs many administrative functions formerly carried out by the legacy United States Immigration and Naturalization Service , which was part of the Department of Justice...
denied Mohamed’s residency application and placed him in removal proceedings, charging him with lying in order to gain an immigration benefit. ICE vigorously sought a removal order in immigration court. Over the strong objections of ICE, an immigration judge in Miami granted Mohamed’s request to become a lawful permanent resident. ICE successfully appealed this decision to the Board of Immigration Appeals. The Board agreed with ICE and reversed the ruling of the immigration judge. The Board ordered the removal of Mohamed on July 30, 2008.
Counter-Proliferation Investigations
- Telecommunications Equipment to Iraq – On October 2, 2008, Dawn Hanna was convicted by a jury in the Eastern District of Michigan on eight counts of an indictment charging her with illegally exporting telecommunications and other equipment with potential military applications to Iraq during the administration of Saddam Hussein and during the embargo on that country. On July 19, 2007, Hanna was indicted on charges of conspiracy, violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, money laundering conspiracy, and false statements. From 2002 to 2003, Hanna allegedly received $9.5 million in proceeds to supply telecommunications and other equipment to Iraq in violation of the U.S. embargo that existed prior to the invasion by coalition forces in 2003.
- Military Accelerometers to China – On September 26, 2008, Qing Li was sentenced in the Southern District of California to 12 months and one day in custody, followed by three years of supervised released, and ordered to pay a fine for conspiracy to smuggle military-grade accelerometers from the United States to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Li pleaded guilty on June 9, 2008, to violating Title 18 USC Section 554. She was indicted for the offense on October 18, 2007. Li conspired with an individual in China to locate and procure as many as 30 Endevco 7270A-200K accelerometers for what her co-conspirator described as a “special” scientific agency in China. This accelerometer has military applications in “smart” bombs and missile development and in calibrating the g-forces of nuclear and chemical explosions.
- Rifle Scopes to Russia – On September 11, 2008, a Grand Jury in the Middle District of Pennsylvania indicted Boris Gavrilov, D&B Compas Ltd, and Kiflet Arm on charges of illegally exporting military-grade and dual-use rifle scopes to Russia without the required U.S. government licenses. Gavrilov is believed to be a resident of Israel. D&B Compas is located in Israel, while Kiflet Arm is located in Humboldt, Texas. Extradition proceedings for Gavrilov have commenced.
- Fighter Jet Components to Iran – On September 5, 2008, George Frank Myles, Jr. pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally export military aviation parts without obtaining the permission of the U.S. Department of State, in violation of the Arms Export Control Act. Myles was indicted for this offense on September 6, 2007, in the Southern District of New York, and the case was transferred to the Southern District of Florida pursuant to Rule 21. Sentencing is set for October 30, 2008. During the conspiracy, which spanned from April 2005 to March 2007, Myles supplied a number of military aviation parts, including F-14 parts, to an Iranian national, who allegedly picked up the parts in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Bangkok, Thailand.
- Surface-to-Air Missiles, Night Vision Devices, Firearms to Foreign Terrorists – On July 10, 2008, Erik Wotulo, a retired Indonesian Marine Corps general, was sentenced in the District of Maryland to 30 months in prison for conspiracy to provide material support to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a designated terrorist organization, and money laundering. Beginning in April 2006, Wotulo conspired with Haji Subandi, Haniffa Bin Osman and Thirunavukarasu Varatharasa to export state-of-the-art firearms, machine guns and ammunition, surface to air missiles, night vision goggles and other military weapons to the Tamil Tigers operating in Sri Lanka, to be used to fight against Sri Lankan government forces. The conspirators contacted an undercover business located in Maryland about the sale of military weapons. In September 2006, the defendants arrived in Guam, where they met with undercover officers to inspect and take possession of the weapons, and were eventually arrested. On January 3, 2008, Varatharasa was sentenced to 57 months in prison. Subandi was sentenced to 37 months in prison on December 14, 2007, while Osman is scheduled to be sentenced in August 2008. Two additional defendants, Rinehard Rusli and Helmi Soedirdja, pleaded guilty to export and money laundering violations on January 30, 2007, as part of a related plot to provide military night vision devices to the Indonesian military.
Anti-Human Trafficking
- Sex Trafficking/San Antonio—On June 1, 2007, a San Antonio woman and her two daughters were ordered detained without bond for engaging in sex trafficking of children. The woman, age 59, and her daughters, ages 32 and 29, were arrested and charged with sex trafficking of children by force, fraud or coercion. Based on the ongoing investigation and the victims’ statements, it is alleged that the defendants traveled to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, to recruit young girls to work as prostitutes in the San Antonio area. The victims in this case were 15, 17 and 22 years old. After arriving in the United States, the victims were told they would have to work as prostitutes for five years to repay the money the defendants had spent. Allegedly the money was spent on smuggling and other expenses they incurred to prepare the young women to be prostitutes. The victims told ICE agents that they were scared to leave because a male associate of the Ochoa’s had threatened them with a gun; he also stated that he could find them and their families back in Mexico, and he would have them killed. The female violators in this case received sentences of time served to 18 months in prison for their convictions for harboring and transporting aliens for financial gain. One of the male defendants was sentenced to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to transport aliens for financial gain and for aiding and abetting sex trafficking of a child. One remaining defendant is scheduled for jury trial in February 2009.
- Involuntary Servitude/Michigan—On May 31, 2007, a couple from Cameroon was sentenced for involuntary servitude and related charges. Joseph Djoumessi, 49, was found guilty of conspiracy, involuntary servitude and harboring for financial gain. He was sentenced to 17 years in prison, to run concurrent with a 9-to-15-year sentence he is currently serving for a Michigan state conviction related to the same crime. A jury also convicted Djoumessi's wife, Evelyn Djoumessi, 42, of conspiracy and involuntary servitude. She was sentenced to five years in prison. The couple was also ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution to the victim. ICE agents in Detroit began an investigation in 2000 after receiving information regarding a young girl who was possibly being held against her will. A 17-year-old girl from Cameroon was discovered in the Djoumessi home, living under a false identity and in questionable circumstances. The girl had been brought into the United States illegally when she was 14 years old. During the time the girl lived at the couple's home, she was forced "by beating and threats," according to court documents, to care for their children and perform household chores without pay. They also limited her contact with the outside world and did not permit her to attend school.
- Labor Trafficking/Long Island, N.Y.—On May 13, 2007, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) officers encountered a female subject disoriented and wandering around a residential neighborhood. The NCPD identified her as a possible trafficking victim and contacted ICE agents assigned to the Human Trafficking Task Force who interviewed the victim at the Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC). The victim indicated that she had escaped from a residence in Muttontown, N.Y., where she was forced to stay and work under horrific conditions. Doctors diagnosed the victim with extensive bruising, burns and lacerations, allegedly inflicted by her employer, Varsha Sabhnani. On the evening of May 13, 2007, ICE agents executed a federal search warrant at the residence in Muttontown and found another female domestic worker hiding in the basement. The second victim denied physical abuse, but witnessed the physical abuse inflicted upon the other victim. Both victims claimed that Sabhnani and her husband verbally abused them and restricted their movements at all times. On May 14, 2007, ICE agents arrested Mahender and Varsha Sabhnani who were subsequently indicted. On December 18, 2007, they were found guilty by jury of forced labor, peonage, document servitude, harboring aliens and conspiracy. In June 2008, Varsha Sabhnani was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment and her husband was sentenced to 3 years. The jury ordered that their residence, valued at $1.5 million, be criminally forfeited. Proceeds from the sale of the residence will be used to pay restitution to the victims.
- Sex Trafficking/New York—The Flores-Carreto family sex-trafficking ring operated between Tenancingo, Tlaxcala, Mexico, and Queens, New York, from 1991 to 2004 and involved brothels in the New York metropolitan area. ICE began its investigation in December 2003 after the mother of a trafficking victim reported to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City that her daughter had been kidnapped and was being held against her will in New York. ICE discovered that male members of the Flores-Carreto family romantically lured young Mexican women to the United States, where they were forced into prostitution through beatings and threats against their children, who were residing with the traffickers' mother in México. Victims who became pregnant were forced to have abortions. In April 2005, Josue Flores-Carreto, Gerardo Flores-Carreto and Daniel Perez Alfonso, a brothel manager, were sentenced to 50, 50, and 25 years imprisonment respectively, for multiple offenses related to forced prostitution. In January 2007, Mexico extradited Consuelo Caretto Valencia, the mother of the Carreto brothers, to the United States, where she was charged with conspiring on sex trafficking and related offenses. On July 22, 2008, she pled guilty to sex trafficking and is pending sentencing for that crime. The prosecution has been one of the largest sex trafficking cases brought under the provisions of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. The sentences in this case are some of the longest to date.
ICE and immigration law
Immigration and Nationality Act Section 287(g)Section 287 of the Immigration and Nationality Act was made law in the United States in 1995 as a result of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act...
is designed to effectively multiply ICE forces through enhanced cooperation and communication with state, and local law enforcement agencies. Section 287(g) authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies, permitting designated officers to perform immigration law enforcement functions, pursuant to a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), provided that the local law enforcement officers receive appropriate training and function under the supervision of sworn U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Under 287(g), ICE provides state and local law enforcement with the training and subsequent authorization to identify, process, and when appropriate, detain immigration offenders they encounter during their regular, daily law-enforcement activity.
"The days of ignoring immigration law are over," Marc Raimondi, A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman, said. "A failure to comply is not an option. The person ordered to be removed needs to comply with that order or we'll assist them with compliance. To think of people illegally in the country who have been convicted of crimes are walking around is outrageous."
ICE has played a key role in investigating and arresting citizens suspected of possessing and distributing child pornography. Because a vast majority of child pornography is produced in foreign countries, ICE special agents utilize their authority to investigate persons and groups that traffic in this type of contraband, the importation of which via traditional mail or internet channels constitute violations of customs laws.
Detention centers
ICE operates detention centers throughout the United States that detain
illegal aliensIllegal Aliens is a 2007 movie starring Anna Nicole Smith and Joanie Laurer. This comedy/science-fiction film is made in the mold of classic 1980s B-movies. Hitting stores on May 1, 2007, the release of the movie was pushed back following the death of Smith in February 2007 and it is her final film...
who are apprehended and placed into removal proceedings. About 31,000 aliens are held in immigration detention on any given day, in over 200 detention centers, jails, and prisons nationwide.
In 2006, the
T. Don Hutto Residential CenterThe T. Don Hutto Residential Center is an immigrant detention facility in Taylor, Texas, United States, operated by the Corrections Corporation of America. under a contract by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement...
opened specifically to house non-criminal families. Other significant facilities are located in
Austin, TexasAustin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 15th-largest in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in the nation...
(at the Travis County Courthouse);
Elizabeth, New JerseyElizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 120,568, making it New Jersey's fourth largest city . The population of Elizabeth was 126,179 as of the Census Bureau's 2006 estimate...
;
Oakdale, LouisianaOakdale is a small city in Allen Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 8,137 at the 2000 census.Oakdale was founded as "Dunnsville" by William T. Dunn...
;
Florence, ArizonaFlorence is a town in and the county seat of Pinal County, Arizona, United States. The population was 17,054 at the 2000 census; according to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town remained unchanged....
;
Miami, FloridaMiami is a major coastal city in southeastern Florida, in the United States. Miami is the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida. With an estimated population of 424,662 in 2007, Miami is the largest city within the Miami metropolitan area, which is the...
; Seattle;
York, PennsylvaniaYork, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in South Central Pennsylvania. The population was 40,862 at the 2000 census. York is the county seat of York County, and is located at...
; Batavia, New York;
Aguadilla, Puerto RicoAguadilla , founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a city located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada, and Moca and west of Isabela. Aguadilla is spread over 15 wards and Aguadilla Pueblo...
, and all along the
TexasTexas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...
–
MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
border.
Corporate contracts
Engineering and construction firm
Kellogg, Brown and RootKBR, Inc. is an American engineering and construction company, formerly a subsidiary of Halliburton, headquartered in Houston. After Halliburton acquired Dresser Industries in 1998, Dresser's engineering subsidiary, The M. W. Kellogg Co., was merged with Halliburton's construction subsidiary,...
(KBR) released a press statement on January 24 2006 that the company had been awarded a no-bid contingency contract from the Department of Homeland Security to support its ICE facilities in the event of an emergency. The maximum total value of the contract is $385 million and consists of a 1-year base period with four 1-year options. KBR held the previous ICE contract from 2000 through 2005. The contract provides for establishing temporary detention and processing capabilities to expand existing ICE Detention and Removal Operations Program facilities in the event of an emergency influx of immigrants into the U.S., or to support the rapid development of new programs. The contract may also provide migrant detention support to other government organizations in the event of an immigration emergency, the company said.
Equipment
ICE officers carry the Sig Sauer P229R pistol with the DAK trigger chambered in
.40 S&WThe .40 S&W is a rimless pistol cartridge developed jointly by Winchester and Smith & Wesson, two famous American firearms manufacturers. It uses .40-inch diameter bullets ranging in weight from 135 to 200 grains and operates at about 33,000 psi pressure...
, the
Heckler & Koch USPThe USP is a semi-automatic pistol developed in Germany by Heckler & Koch GmbH of Oberndorf am Neckar as a replacement for the P7 series of handguns.-History:...
Compact with LEM trigger in .40 S&W, or the Glock 19 pistol chambered in 9x19 mm. Eventually, all ICE officers will transition to the Sig Sauer P229R-DAK as their primary sidearm. They also may be assigned the
Remington Model 870The Remington Model 870 is a U.S.-made pump-action shotgun manufactured by Remington Arms Company, Inc. It is widely used by the public for target shooting, hunting, and self-defense...
shotgun, the
Steyr AUGThe AUG is an Austrian bullpup 5.56mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1970s by Steyr Mannlicher GmbH & Co KG . The AUG was adopted by the Austrian Army as the StG 77 in 1977, where it replaced the 7.62mm StG 58 automatic rifle...
rifle, the Colt
M16 rifleThe M16 is the U.S. military designation for the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle....
, the FN
P90The FN P90 is a Belgian-designed personal defense weapon . The weapon's name is an abbreviation of Project 90, which specifies a weapon system of the 1990s...
or the Colt
M4 carbineThe M4 carbine is a family of firearms tracing its lineage back to earlier carbine versions of the M16, all based on the original AR-15 made by ArmaLite. It is a shorter and lighter version of the M16A2 assault rifle, achieving 80% parts commonality with the M16A2...
. Agents and officers assigned to a Special Response Team (SRT) are specifically assigned the Colt M4 carbine while some operators may also carry the
Heckler & Koch MP5The Heckler & Koch MP5 is a 9mm submachine gun of German design, developed in the 1960s by a team of engineers from the German small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH of Oberndorf am Neckar.It is currently used by the armed forces and law enforcement units of over 40 countries...
submachine gun, although these are being phased out.
ICE operates the only nation-wide radio communication system in the federal law enforcement community. The system, known as the National Law Enforcement Communications Center (NLECC) is Motorola-based and employs a technology specifically designed for ICE known as COTHEN (Customs Over The Horizon Network). Consequently, ICE agents, officers, and authorized subcribers are able to communicate with one another across the nation using NLECC's strategically placed repeaters and high-speed data lines. Additionally, the NLECC, commonly referred to as SECTOR, is based in Orlando, Florida..
See also
- Asylum shopping
Asylum shopping is a term used mostly in the context of the European Union and the Schengen area to describe the practice by asylum seekers of applying for asylum in several member states or seeking to apply in a particular state after transiting other member states...
- ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is a specialized federal law enforcement agency and regulatory organization within the United States Department of Justice...
- CBP
- DHS
- DOJ
The United States Department of Justice is a Cabinet department in the United States government designed to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans...
- DEA
- DSS - U.S. Department of State
The U.S. Diplomatic Security Service is the federal law enforcement arm of the United States Department of State. The majority of its Special Agents are members of the Foreign Service and federal law enforcement agents at the same time, making them unique. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security is the...
- FAMS
The Federal Air Marshal Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the supervision of the Transportation Security Administration of the United States Department of Homeland Security...
- FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency. The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
- Federal crime
In the United States, a federal crime or federal offense is a crime that is either made illegal by U.S. federal legislation or a crime that occurs on U.S...
- List of United States federal law enforcement agencies
- Office of CBP Air
The mission of the United States Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine , the world’s largest aviation and maritime law enforcement organization, is to protect the American people and Nation’s critical infrastructure through the coordinated use of integrated air and marine forces to...
- Operation Endgame
Operation Endgame is a 2003-2012 plan under implementation by the Office of Detention and Removal Operations of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain and deport all removable aliens currently living in the United States by...
- Operation Front Line
Operation Front Line is an initiative of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement , a division of the Department of Homeland Security, that operated in the months leading up to the 2004 U.S. Presidential Election and through the 2005 Presidential Inauguration.-Overview:Little information about the...
- Serious Organized Crime Agency
- Shadow Wolves
The "Shadow Wolves" is an elite unit of Native American trackers. The law enforcement unit is part of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement...
- Special Agent
Special agent is usually the title for a detective or investigator for a state, county, municipal, federal or tribal government.A special agent is not a 'spy' , but an investigator. An agent is a worker for any other federal agency, and a secret agent is one who works for an intelligence...
- United States Border Patrol
The United States Border Patrol is a federal law enforcement agency within U.S. Customs and Border Protection , a component of the Department of Homeland Security . Its 19,400 agents are primarily responsible for immigration and border law enforcement as codified in the Immigration and Nationality...
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing hundreds of U.S...
- USMS
- USSS
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that falls under the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
External links
International agencies comparable to ICE