United States Immigration and Custom Enforcement

Decision Support Paper: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement
Introduction and Background
This text analyses the budget plan of both the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, one of DHS’s operating directories, with an aim of determining how the said directorate is impacted upon by the DHS budget plan. In so doing, the needs of the Immigration and Custom Enforcement will be analyzed, vis-à-vis the budget priorities of the DHS, with an aim of identifying misalignments. If any misalignments are identified, recommendations for aligning the Immigration and Customs Enforcement program priorities with the DHS strategic plan will be presented.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) concerns itself with the enforcement of federal laws that relate to immigration and trade, customs, and border control so as to not only enhance public safety, but also promote homeland security. In essence, ICE “has an annual budget of approximately $6 billion, primarily devoted to three operational directorates – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) (ICE, 2017).
Discussion
The key highlights of Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s budget plan include funds request for the National Fugitive Operations Program to enhance its information sharing abilities, Detention Reform Outreach for stakeholder outreach as well as training purposes, FOIA Personnel to enhance disclosure efforts, Criminal History Information Systems expansion, and Automation Modernization (DHS, 2014).
The needs and goals of DHS’s budget plan for each agency within could be identified as the prevention of terrorism and enhancement of security, securing and management of the country’s borders, enforcement and administration of the country’s immigration laws, safeguarding and securing cyberspace, preparation and response to disasters, opportunity as well as growth and security initiative (DHS, 2014).
The role of ICE is emphasized as far as interior enforcement and border security is concerned and it is on this basis that each plan underlines the need for the most efficient resource utilization in the expelling of elements deemed to be threats to national security and public order/safety. The role of ICE in stalling the movement of illicit funds by targeting cross-border systems likely to be used by criminal and terror enterprises is also highlighted across the board.
It is important to note that in essence, Immigration and Custom is prioritized in the DHS budget plan. This is more so the case taking into consideration the fact that the priority areas of DHS budget plan which have been highlighted above largely rhyme with not only the purpose and mandate of ICE, but also its budget plan (also as highlighted above).
Summary (1) Overview of Each Plan
Quadrennial Homeland Security Review
Overall, the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review plan proclaims adherence to the Homeland Security’s five basic missions modified to efficiently address emerging hazards and threats. The specific strategic priorities to be adopted over the 4-year period include “securing against the evolving terrorism threat, safeguard and secure cyberspace, a homeland security strategy for countering biological threats and hazards, a risk segmentation approach to securing and managing flows of people and goods, strengthening the execution of our missions through public-private partnerships” (DHS, 2014). Immigration has been identified as an area of ongoing priority and emphasis, alongside two other priority areas. This is in line with one of the key highlights of ICE, i.e. Criminal History Information System, whereby the agency is keen to extend the reach of the criminal history information system so as to better its partnership with foreign partners on those convicted in the US before their removal from the country. The other two areas of ongoing priority and emphasis are identified as “nuclear terrorism using an improvised nuclear device and national preparedness and the whole community approach” (DHS, 2014). This aligns with DHS’s prevention of terrorism and enhancement of security and, preparation and response to disasters budget-related priorities.
Bottom up Review
In addition to the enhancement of mission performance, the plan cites the improvement of department management and increasing accountability as key areas of interest. The last two concerns align with ICE 2015 highlights of National Fugitive Operations Program (whereby the goal is to improve information sharing abilities for enhanced efficiency) and FOIA Personnel (where the focus is to facilitate public records disclosure) respectively. DHS’s budget-related priorities come under the enhancement of mission performance under which all the needs and goals of the DHS’s budget plan are restated. Both sets of priorities appear well catered for.
DHS Fiscal Years 2015 – 2018 (Strategic Plan)
The priorities as highlighted in this case are inclusive of an enduring framework comprising of 5 missions and goals namely “prevent terrorism and enhance security, secure and manage our borders, enforce and administer our immigration laws, safeguard and secure cyberspace, and strengthen national readiness and resilience” (DHS, 2014). In seeking to secure the nations boarders and airspace, the plan points out the need to rope-in “law enforcement organizations such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement…” in the prevention of illegal export and exit (DHS, 2014) – which aligns with ICE’s Automation Modernization factor. The very same goals and missions adopted are the needs and goals of DHS’s budget plan.
DHS PY 2015 Budget in Brief (BIB)
The FY 2015 Budget Request, in essence, “provides DHS with necessary resources to execute its missions today and prepare for the future” (DHS, 2014). Towards this end, the overall budget-related priorities of DHS are identified as the prevention of terrorism and enhancement of security, securing and management of the country’s borders, enforcement and administration of the country’s immigration laws, safeguarding and securing cyberspace, preparation and response to disasters, opportunity as well as growth and security initiative (DHS, 2014). On this front, the plan focuses on the most important capabilities in the various mission areas of the department. The Immigration and Custom Enforcement is incorporated as the key department in the enforcement and administration of the nation’s immigration laws.
Summary 2
In comparing Immigration and Custom’s budget plan versus the allotment advanced by the DHS, a discernible pattern emerges. First and foremost, due to the relevance of proper enforcement and administration of immigration laws when it comes to the enhancement of public safety and promotion of homeland security, ICE’s budget plans are not only prioritized but also streamlined with DHS’s budget-related priorities. The budget request of ICE is captured as $5,359,065,000, with key highlights as has been listed elsewhere in this text. The DHS, however, does not place much emphasis on the provision of training and stakeholder outreach that relates to PREA, despite this being one of the key highlights of ICE’s FY 2015. Detention Reform Outreach can be shared across organization’s and therefore, need not be a single organization’s affair.
References
Department of Homeland Security - DHS (2014). The 2014 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review. Retrieved from https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/2014-qhsr-final-508.pdf
Department of Homeland Security - DHS (2014). Bottom-Up Review Report. Retrieved from https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/bur_bottom_up_review.pdf
Department of Homeland Security - DHS (2014). Fiscal Years 2014-2018 Strategic Plan. Retrieved from https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/FY14-18%20Strategic%20Plan.PDF
Department of Homeland Security - DHS (2014). FY 2015 Budget in Brief. Retrieved from https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/FY15-BIB.pdf
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – ICE (2017). Who we Are. Retrieved from https://www.ice.gov/about