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We protect America by providing health care and public health services in support of immigration law enforcement.
The ICE Health Service Corps, formerly known as the Division of Immigration Health Services,
serves as the medical authority for ICE on a wide range of medical issues, including the agency's comprehensive
detainee health care program.
ICE Health Service Corps staff consists of more than 900 U.S. Public Health Service commissioned officers,
federal civil servants and contract support staff.
ICE Health Service Corps provides direct care to approximately 15,000 detainees housed at 24 designated facilities
throughout the nation. It oversees medical care provided to an additional 17,000 detainees housed at non-ICE
Health Service Corps staffed detention facilities across the country. When necessary, it authorizes and pays for
off-site specialty and emergency care, consultations and case management.
In order to continually upgrade the quality of medical services delivered, ICE Health Service Corps actively seeks
accreditation by the Joint Commission, the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and the American Correctional
Association. It also complies with the Performance Based National Detention Standards.
In many instances, the care that detainees receive while in ICE custody is the first professional medical care they have
received, and it is common for detainee health screenings to identify chronic and serious health conditions that were
previously undiagnosed.
ICE Health Service Corps also provides medical support during flight, tactical ground and sea operations through the
Special Operations Unit. This unit consists of specially trained commissioned officers who, in addition to meeting
the medical needs of detainees, serve as liaisons between law enforcement officials and other key stakeholders.
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