October 1, 2005 (Updated)

Fact Sheet

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established on March 1, 2003, as part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The 15,000 employees of ICE represent the largest investigative force within DHS. ICE enforces the nation’s immigration and customs laws and protects federal facilities.

ICE Organization: Operational Divisions

• Office of Investigations is responsible for investigating a wide range of domestic and international activities arising from the movement of people and goods that violate immigration and custom laws and threaten national security.
• Office of Detention and Removal Operations is responsible for public safety and national security by ensuring the departure from the United States of all removable aliens and by enforcing the nation’s immigration laws.
• Federal Protective Service is responsible for policing, securing, and ensuring a safe environment in which federal agencies can conduct their business by reducing threats posed against more than 8,800 federal government facilities nationwide.
• Office of Intelligence is responsible for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of strategic and tactical intelligence data for use by the operational elements of ICE and DHS.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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