Legal Definitions - Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal law enforcement agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

ICE's primary mission is to protect the United States from cross-border criminal activity and threats to national security and public safety. This includes preventing the illegal movement of people and goods into the country and upholding the integrity of the nation's immigration laws. The agency achieves this through various functions, such as conducting complex investigations into transnational crime, enforcing immigration laws, and managing the detention and removal of individuals who violate those laws.

Here are some examples illustrating the role of ICE:

• A criminal syndicate attempts to smuggle a large shipment of endangered wildlife products, such as ivory or rhino horn, into the U.S. through a commercial port.In this scenario, ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit would lead the investigation. Their role would be to identify and dismantle the smuggling network, seize the illegal goods, and arrest those involved, thereby preventing cross-border crime and protecting national security and public safety by disrupting illicit trade.
• An individual from another country enters the U.S. legally on a tourist visa but overstays their authorized period of stay by several years, despite receiving a final order of removal from an immigration judge.Here, ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) would be responsible for locating this individual. Their mission would involve taking the person into custody and arranging for their deportation to their home country, ensuring that U.S. immigration laws are enforced and the integrity of the immigration system is maintained.
• Federal intelligence agencies identify a foreign national residing in the U.S. who is suspected of actively recruiting individuals for a designated international terrorist organization.ICE, particularly through its Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division, would collaborate with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies to investigate this individual. If the investigation confirms the threat, ICE would work to apprehend the person and initiate removal proceedings, prioritizing the protection of national security and public safety by preventing potential acts of terrorism within the U.S.