United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Also known as US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, United States Immigration & Customs Enforcement, US Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, USICE, BICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security. Its stated mission is to conduct criminal investigations, enforce immigration laws, preserve national security, and protect public safety. ICE was created as part of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 following the September 11 attacks. It absorbed the prior functions of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the United States Customs Service.

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Key facts

Motto: "Protecting National Security and Upholding Public Safety", "Honor, Service, Integrity" (Homeland Security Investigations)
Formed: March 1, 2003 (23 years ago) ( 2003-03-01 )
Preceding agency: Criminal investigation resources of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service and United States Customs Service
Employees: 21,800+ (2025)
Annual budget: $9.13 billion (2025)
Operations jurisdiction: United States
Specialist jurisdictions: Customs , excise , gambling Immigration
Headquarters: 500 12th Street SW, Washington, D.C. , U.S.
Agency executives: Todd Lyons , acting director Charles Wall , deputy director

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Article

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security. Its stated mission is to conduct criminal investigations, enforce immigration laws, preserve national security, and protect public safety. ICE was created as part of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 following the September 11 attacks. It absorbed the prior functions of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the United States Customs Service.

ICE has two primary and distinct law enforcement components: Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It has three supporting divisions: the Management and Program Administration, the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA), and the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). ICE maintains domestic offices throughout the United States and detachments at major U.S. diplomatic missions overseas. ICE personnel (special agents and officers) do not patrol American borders; rather, that role is performed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Coast Guard. The acting director is Todd Lyons; the agency has not had a Senate-confirmed director since Sarah Saldaña stepped down on January 20, 2017.