Overview

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); created in 2003 as part of the post-9/11 reorganization of federal security agencies. ICE operates through two primary divisions: Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO); which handles immigration arrests; detention; and deportation; and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); which investigates transnational crime including human trafficking; drug smuggling; and financial crimes. ICE has become one of the most controversial federal agencies in the United States due to its immigration enforcement practices; including family separations at the border; prolonged detention of asylum seekers in facilities operated by private prison companies (GEO Group; CoreCivic); deaths in ICE custody; and cooperation with local law enforcement through 287(g) agreements that critics argue enable racial profiling. During the Trump administration; ICE expanded workplace raids; targeted sanctuary cities; and arrested immigrants at courthouses; churches; and hospitals. Multiple reports have documented sexual abuse; medical neglect; and forced sterilizations in ICE detention facilities. Note: This entry is misplaced in the individuals data file; ICE should be categorized as a federal agency.

Key Affiliations

Controversies & Concerns

Related Investigations (1)

Sources & Documentation

2 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports