U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
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OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
ATTACHÉ OFFICES
The role of the ICE attaché includes conducting and coordinating ICE investigations and supporting Detention and Removal Operations (DRO), Federal Air Marshals Service (FAMS), Office of Intelligence, Air and Marine Operations (AMO), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Bureau of Transportation and Safety (BTS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) missions overseas.
ICE attachés are responsible for the coordination of international investigations with foreign counterparts; providing investigative case support to domestic and international ICE offices in combating transnational crime; acquiring and developing intelligence related to cross-border criminal activity; and fostering lawful international trade and travel through liaison with host country government and industry.
ICE attaché offices are multi-disciplined, consisting of Special Agents, Detention and Removal Officers, Intelligence Analysts and Administrative Support staff. The ICE Attachés are responsible for the investigation and enforcement, both criminal and civil, of violations involving Titles 8,18, 19, 22, 31, 49 and 50 of the United States Code (to include enforcement of laws via Memorandum of Understanding for U.S. Secret Service, Department of Commerce, ATF, Department of State, Consumer Protection & Safety Commission, etc.), and any other matter as directed by the DHS Secretary. These areas of responsibility are traditionally thought of in terms of:
- Alien smuggling and human trafficking
- Contraband smuggling (imported and exported merchandise)
- Money laundering violations, including bulk cash smuggling, hawalas, Black Market Peso Exchange and traditional money laundering schemes
- Illegal export or diversion of controlled U.S. technology
- Illegal export/import of conventional weapons
- Illegal export/import of military equipment and WMD related technology
- Trade fraud violations, including Intellectual Property Rights, tobacco smuggling, forced child labor, prison labor, quota evasion, textile transshipment, anti-dumping duty evasion and other traditional customs fraud schemes
- Illegal import/export of cultural property, stolen artwork and other items
- Child pornography, sex tourism and child exploitation
- Prime Bank Instrument fraud
- Document and benefit fraud
- Facilitation of repatriations
- International fugitive investigations
- Extradition of criminal suspects to the United States
- Genocide and human rights investigations
- Investigations of document counterfeiters/printers overseas
- Interdiction operations at foreign airports
- Extra-territorial prosecution for violations against the United States
- Repatriations of third country fugitives
- Intelligence collection
ICE attachés are also responsible for enforcement of health and safety issues, including tainted or prohibited foodstuffs, unsafe toys and consumer products. They coordinate with foreign counterparts the sharing of information under bilateral agreements and Mutual Legal Assistance Agreements and coordinate the establishment of foreign vetted units working with ICE to expand criminal investigations and prosecutions in areas such as money laundering and alien trafficking/smuggling.
ICE attachés cultivate and maintain close liaison with law enforcement, intelligence, regulatory and trade representatives and organizations throughout their geographic area of responsibility.
ICE attachés initiate, oversee and are the primary points of contact for several DHS and CBP security programs, including the Container Security Initiative (CSI), Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), BASC and FAST. This includes being the primary overseas points of contact for the importing and exporting communities, responding to questions about importing regulations and providing outreach and information on various programs, including the Bio-Terrorism Act and the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
The ICE attachés work with the U. S. Trade Representative on negotiations of Free Trade Agreements, Intellectual Property Rights issues and other bilateral agreements. They are involved in trade programs which are quasi-enforcement related, such as coordination of Textile Production Verification Team visits to textile factories and prison labor visits.
