Overview

ICE is responsible for enforcing U.S. immigration law, which means investigating, arresting and detaining undocumented immigrants, as well as probing crimes like human and narcotics smuggling. The agency has four divisions: Detention and Removal Operations, the Office of Investigations, the Office of Intelligence, and the Office of International Affairs.

Detention and Removal Operations (DRO) performs most of the functions for which ICE is best known. It's this branch that identifies and apprehends illegal immigrants. It also oversees the sprawling detention system where detainees wait in prison-like conditions while their case goes before an immigration judge. ICE is also part of this process: its agents present evidence to immigration judges that supports their case for deporting an individual. If the immigration judge rules against the detainee, DRO works with foreign governments to deport that individual to another country. The Office of Intelligence seeks out information that will aid ICE in its investigations. One branch of this office says that the detainee population could be a rich source of intelligence.

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