Project Shield America is an integral part of the ICE counter-proliferation strategy of preventing illegal exporters, targeted foreign countries, terrorist groups and international criminal organizations from trafficking in weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their components. ICE works to stop organized criminal and state-sponsored efforts from obtaining and illegally exporting licensable commodities, technologies, conventional munitions and firearms; exporting stolen property and engaging in financial transactions that support these activities or violate U.S. sanctions and embargoes.
For decades, adversaries of the U.S. have acquired U.S. and Western technology by various means, both legal and illegal. Such acquisitions have provided these countries with Western research and strategic technology largely without cost and have assisted our adversaries in jeopardizing our soldiers, citizens and national interests.
Strategic technology sought by certain proscribed countries includes:
As with any illegal trade, the exact volume is difficult to measure or even estimate. ICE criminal investigations and seizures indicate, however, that such trade can be valued in the tens of millions of dollars annually. The monetary value of illegal exports discovered by ICE is often secondary to the strategic and potential military value of these products.
ICE has designed and implemented Project Shield America to work in concert with the three-pronged effort of its Export Enforcement Program:
Project Shield America is not intended to restrict or discourage legitimate U.S. exports. Rather, it is designed to protect the technical accomplishments resulting from American ingenuity and labor. It also prevents our adversaries from achieving technological parity or gaining a military advantage through illegal acquisition of U.S. technology.
Anyone involved in high technology research, development, production or sales are potential acquisition targets. A company may consider a product in development to be insignificant when compared to more publicized, sought after technologies. However, small technological projects can easily be the necessary component to a major technological development. ICE solicits the public’s assistance in providing information related to suspicious acquisition attempts or exports of critical technology, munitions items or services.
ICE recommends that industry partners implement an Export Management System (EMS). An effective EMS comprises the following elements:
If you have information regarding international terrorism, violations of U.S. export laws, or economic sanctions and embargoes, please call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
ICE solicits the assistance of private industry to share information related to suspicious acquisitions of high technology and munitions or services relating to these items. The following are possible indicators of illegal exports or diversions:
9/26/2012 Newark, NJ Former employee of New Jersey defense contractor convicted of exporting sensitive military technology to China
9/6/2012 New York, NY Former soldier pleads guilty to violations of the Arms Export Control Act
7/26/2012 Chicago, IL California man pleads guilty to attempting to illegally export missile components to Iran
7/13/2012 Seattle, WA Ore. man who illegally sold military-grade equipment overseas is sentenced
7/13/2012 Washington, DC ICE dismantles Iranian nuclear-related supply network
6/28/2012 Bridgeport, CT United Technologies subsidiary pleads guilty to criminal charges for helping China develop new attack helicopter