The HSI National Security Division (NSD) plays a critical role in accomplishing ICE’s mission to identify, disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal and terrorist organizations and hostile foreign intelligence entities that threaten the United States and her allies. NSD also leads efforts on investigating and prosecuting human rights violators and war criminals and preventing them from seeking refuge in the United States.

NSD utilizes the breadth of ICE’s statutory legal authorities and robust interagency partnerships to counter national security threats identified through HSI investigations of fraud or abuse of the immigration, trade and financial sectors. NSD’s National Security Programs (NSP) include: Human Rights Violations and War Crimes; Counterterrorism and Criminal Exploitation and National Security Threats Investigations. NSD also includes the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which monitors nearly one million international students pursuing academic or vocational studies (F and M visa holders) and their dependents in the United States. It also certifies schools and programs that enroll these students.