What Types of Careers are There at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement? – Emergency Management Degree Program Guide

January 28, 2014January 27, 2014

Every year thousands of people cross our borders legally and illegally. With them, they bring their belongings and other items that are regulated by those with careers at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE, as the agency is called, is the government law enforcement agency that ensures that the people and the things being brought here are allowed into this country. The level of responsibility for the agency ranges from the control of illegal immigrants to the monitoring of imported goods that could be harmful to the people of the United States of America. There are quite a few careers to consider as the agency’s role is expansive.

Immigration Enforcement Agent (IEA)

Enforcement Agents work closely with local police, labor authorities, Coast Guard, and other border enforcement agencies to enforce immigration and import laws. The Enforcement Agent is the physical force in the detection of violators and responsible for the seizure and capture of the illegal immigrants and imports. Agents are uniformed personnel that are often seen at airports, port authorities and any other entry point of the country. Many are assigned to work with specialized tasks forces of local law enforcement.

Detention and Deportation Officer (DDO)

Upon the capture and detention of an illegal immigrant by the Enforcement Agent, they are brought to local jailhouses and detention centers where the immigrant is then processed into determination. Once the immigrant has been determined to be illegal, it is the job of the Detention and Deportation Officer to direct, coordinate and execute the detention and removal activities of that individual. Upper level Officers will also perform management and administrative duties that include the long-range planning, policy revision, and recommendations that improve future investigations.

HSI Special Agent

As the name implies, the Special Agent is a field agent for ICE. They are special investigators that covertly collect the evidence needed to justify the use of enforcement. These criminal investigators use deductive reasoning, critical thinking and proper judgement to prevent drug smuggling, human trafficking, illegal arms trading, financial crimes and fraud of all kinds. Special Agents play a critical role in the fight against terrorism and help protect our national security.

Intelligence

With careers ranging from Intelligence Officer to Support Specialist, the intelligence operators take the evidence collected by the Special Agents and provide feedback that will help them detect criminal activity. Intelligence Officers carefully analyze and evaluate various statistics and hard evidence to provide the details that enable other facets of the agency to do their jobs. Support Specialists provide the backbone support to keep the agency running in the form of office administration, communications, information technology and the many other behind-the-scenes efforts that allow the agency to operate.

The work environment of the agency is varied depending on the career path that you choose. For intelligence operators, working in an office or laboratory is the norm. For Special Agent out in the field, it may mean taking on a different persona to assist in your investigation. Detention Officers and Enforcement Agents are often in the streets closely working with localized law enforcement as required. No matter what the environment, those seeking careers at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will find themselves helping their country as well as working in the exciting field of law enforcement.