ICE launches web page to highlight critical partnerships with law enforcement agencies, industry, others
WASHINGTON – Building and maintaining effective partnerships with private sector stakeholders and other law enforcement agencies is crucial to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) achieving its national security and homeland security missions. ICE is recognizing the contributions of these critical partners with the launch of a new web page, highlighting several key partnership programs and featuring videos from various officials explaining why these partnerships are important in their communities.
“Partnerships with other law enforcement agencies – and also private sector and non-government stakeholders, throughout the country and around the world – are key to what we do as a federal law enforcement agency,” said Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of Director, Matthew T. Albence. “Whether it’s at the local, state, national or international level, all parties are strengthened by the combined resources, experience and expertise of the other and, ultimately, it is the American people who benefit.”
The site illustrates that despite the often-reported sanctuary city movement, many law enforcement agencies and other entities understand the operational value and public benefit to finding common ground on which to collaborate, cooperate and share information vital to securing our borders and solving complex criminal investigations.
The web page details partnerships under both components of ICE: Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
ERO’s 287g and criminal alien programs are key to allowing officers to target and arrest criminal aliens while they are in jail for allegedly committing criminal offenses. In recent years, 85% or more of people arrested by ERO on civil immigration charges also had prior criminal convictions or pending charges, thanks in part to partnerships with state and local law enforcement agencies.
HSI partnerships highlighted include those of the Border Enforcement Security Task Forces, the Intellectual Property Rights Center, Cyber Crimes Center, HERO Corps and the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center. HSI collaborates with law enforcement agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private industry to generate leads, identify, rescue and support victims of crime and prevent threats to the homeland.
ICE’s commitment to partnerships is also evident through the ICE Office of Partnership and Engagement (OPE) whose sole mission includes coordinating outreach efforts to increase local and national awareness of ICE’s mission, while building relationships and fostering trust. ICE’s OPE has a cadre of Community Relations Officers (CROs) in field offices across the country who serve as agency liaisons to the public, state/local elected leaders, community groups and other key stakeholders.
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