Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

ICE is an agency within DHS focused primarily on enforcing immigration laws and combating illegal activities that threaten national security. ICE has two main divisions:

1. Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) – responsible for arresting, detaining, and deporting individuals who are in the U.S. unlawfully or who have violated immigration laws. ERO targets people who may pose security risks, including those with criminal records or connections to transnational crime.

2. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – tackles a broad range of criminal activities that cross U.S. borders, such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms smuggling, cybercrime, and financial crimes. HSI works on investigations involving national security and public safety.

Together, DHS and ICE work to protect the U.S. through a combination of law enforcement, border control, emergency management, and cybersecurity, with ICE focusing more specifically on immigration enforcement and cross-border crime.

The mission of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is to protect the United States from criminal and national security threats by enforcing immigration laws and combating cross-border crime. ICE works to uphold public safety and enforce the integrity of the nation’s immigration system. Its objectives include:

1. Enforcing Immigration Laws: ICE identifies, apprehends, detains, and removes individuals who are in violation of immigration laws. This often includes those who pose a threat to public safety, such as individuals with criminal records or those involved in organized crime.

2. Combating Cross-Border Crime: Through its Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division, ICE targets criminal activities that exploit U.S. borders, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, smuggling, cybercrime, and financial crimes.

3. Promoting National Security: ICE investigates cases that could pose threats to national security, like terrorism, illegal trade, and violations of export laws.

ICE’s mission emphasizes a focus on public safety, rule of law, and border security, aiming to mitigate threats to communities and protect U.S. citizens by addressing criminal and national security risks associated with illegal immigration and international crime.

Leadership Team