Inside ICE: Volume 2, Issue 24

ICE Represents U.S. On Global Task Force To Protect Children

BELFAST, U.K.—Assistant Secretary John P. Clark announced November 15 that ICE will serve as a board member and the primary U.S. law enforcement representative to the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT), an integrated network of law enforcement agencies from different nations created to combat online child abuse.

Mr. Clark’s announcement came as he and other senior ICE officials participated in the first international summit of the VGT in Belfast, where law enforcement officials, non-governmental organizations and private industry representatives from around the world gathered to share strategies in reducing online child abuse. Participants discussed the problems and risks of Internet child abuse; recognized model industry efforts to combat this problem; and developed new strategies to reduce the incidence of child abuse online.

Created in 2003, the VGT is a law enforcement-to-law enforcement network comprised of ICE, the Australian High-Tech Crime Centre; the United Kingdom’s National Crime Squad, Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Interpol. The deputy director general of the United Kingdom’s National Crime Squad is the current chair of the VGT, a position that rotates every two years between member law enforcement agencies. Supporting the VGT member agencies are non-governmental organizations and private industry representatives from —member nations.

As a board member, ICE is working with other VGT representatives to implement a 24/7 online presence by law enforcement to combat child abuse. Under this system, one nation’s member agency on the task force will essentially serve as the on-call, Internet police officer for the globe for a portion of each day. After the completion of one “shift,” the responsibility will rotate to the next VGT member agency from another nation for the next shift that day. ICE will be working with other board members to facilitate access to the VGT Web site to ensure that any leads received during a “shift” can be reviewed and quickly forwarded to the correct member nation. Once implemented, this concept will truly create a virtual global task force.

As part of its board member duties, ICE is also responsible for bringing U.S. Internet providers, other American companies, as well as U.S. non-governmental organizations, into partnership with the VGT. In addition, ICE attends VGT meetings three times per year to approve new members, as well as to review new and modified initiatives of the task force.

“The VGT is an outstanding international effort —to address online child abuse and one that ICE —is deeply committed to,” said Clark. “With child —sex predators moving seamlessly through the virtual borders of the world, cooperation between law enforcement agencies around the globe has never been more important.”

ICE’s participation in the VGT stems directly from ICE’s public safety mission, as well as its authority to investigate trans-border crimes. Through Operation Predator, ICE systematically targets Internet child pornographers, international child sex tourists, foreign national pedophiles and human sex traffickers. This initiative draws on the full spectrum of ICE’s intelligence, investigative, cyber, and detention and removal functions to safeguard children against predators.

Since the launch of Operation Predator in June 2003, ICE has arrested more than 6,500 child sex predators nationwide.

Back to Top

ICE, Colombians Work Together To Dismantle Norte Valle Cartel

ICE Represents U.S. On Global Task Force To Protect Children

ICE Deports Man Wanted For Inciting Racial Hatred In Germany

ICE Arrests Eight In Houston For Sex Trafficking Scheme

ICE Efforts Bring Ancient Work Of Art Back To Italy

ICE Arrests 125 Illegal Aliens At Wal-Mart Construction Site

ICE MOST WANTED

Border Tunnel

Receive the latest ICE newsletter twice a month right to your inbox. Simply enter your information below.