ICE Operations
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is responsible for eliminating vulnerabilities in the nation's border, and with economic, transportation and infrastructure security.
The ICE organization is composed of four law enforcement divisions and several support divisions. These divisions of ICE combine to form a new investigative approach with new resources to provide unparalleled investigation, interdiction and security services to the public and our law enforcement partners in the federal and local sectors.
Office of Congressional Relations (OCR)
The Office of Congressional Relations (OCR) represents ICE’s core values and DHS objectives through federal Congressional liaison activities.
How We Work
The OCR maintains an effective liaison by promoting Congressional awareness of ICE operations, national and local programs, policies and initiatives.
Office of Detention and Removal Operations (DRO)
The Office of Detention and Removal Operations (DRO) is responsible for promoting public safety and national security by making certain through the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws that all removable aliens depart the United States.
How We Work
DRO makes use of its resources and expertise to transport aliens, to manage them while in custody and waiting for their cases to be processed, and to remove unauthorized aliens from the United States when so ordered.
Office of Federal Protective Service (FPS)
Federal Protective Service (FPS) is responsible for policing, securing and ensuring a safe environment in which federal agencies can conduct their business. FPS does this by investigating threats posed against the more than 8,800 federal facilities nationwide.
How We Work
FPS’ work focuses directly on the interior security of the nation and the reduction of crimes and potential threats to federal facilities throughout the nation. Uniformed FPS officers and special agents respond to calls for assistance, conduct investigations and provide crime prevention tips, as well as assist in occupant emergency planning.
All federal facilities under FPS control receive a thorough building security assessment on a recurring schedule. During this assessment representatives of all agencies in the facility are interviewed to gather information on the specific mission they perform within the facility, and intelligence and crime statistics for the area are reviewed, as are existing security countermeasures. Based on the findings and working with the agencies housed in the facility, security countermeasures are added or adjusted. This allows for tailored security for each individual facility versus a one-size-fits-all approach.
Office of Intelligence
The Office of Intelligence is responsible for collecting, analyzing and sharing strategic and tactical intelligence data for use by the operational elements of ICE and DHS.
How We Work
ICE intelligence professionals process information from a variety of sources to provide assessments of patterns, trends and new developments in a wide range of law enforcement areas. Intelligence focuses on data and information related to the movement of people, money and materials into, within and out of the United States, to provide accurate and timely reporting to ICE leadership and field agents in support of enforcement operations.
The branches and divisions of ICE fulfill their mission to protect America and uphold public safety by working together and separately, within ICE and with other law enforcement and intelligence entities, to keep the United States secure.
Office of International Affairs (OIA)
OIA is the largest international investigative component in DHS, interacting with the international community on behalf of ICE through investigations of immigration and customs violations, management of the Visa Security Program and the International Visitor's Program, representation with international organizations, conducting international training and guiding repatriation efforts.
Office of Investigations (OI)
The Office of Investigations (OI) is responsible for investigating a range of issues that may threaten national security.
How We Work
OI uses its legal authority to investigate issues such as immigration crime, human rights violations, and human smuggling; narcotics, weapons and other types of smuggling; and financial crimes, cybercrime and export enforcement issues. ICE special agents also conduct investigations aimed at protecting critical infrastructure industries that are vulnerable to sabotage, attack or exploitation.
Office of Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA)
The Office of 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.
How We Work
OPLA protects the security of the United States by providing professional, highly motivated and client -focused staff in sufficient numbers to promptly and effectively prosecute immigration and customs law violators, particularly those who threaten the safety of our citizenry.
Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR)
The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is responsible for investigating allegations of misconduct involving employees of ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
How We Work
OPR preserves the organizational integrity of ICE by impartially, independently and thoroughly investigating allegations of criminal or serious administrative misconduct by ICE and CBP employees worldwide. OPR adjudicates ICE background investigations and issues security clearances for all prospective and current ICE employees and contracted staff. 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.
