U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Since 2002, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) senior management team has recognized the critical role that victims of crime play in the federal criminal justice process and has embraced a victim-centered approach to investigations. 

The combined efforts of the senior management team and Special Agents in Charge have resulted in a 23-fold increase in full-time, permanent Victim Assistance Coordinator staff, and a 64 percent increase in collateral duty coordinators. This represents a major resource investment on behalf of victims of crime. 

Under the guidance of the Director of the Office of Investigations, Marcy Forman, budgets were developed and new positions were allotted for both headquarters and field offices. Training was provided to all Victim Assistance Coordinators, victim assistance brochures were developed and distributed, specialized training was developed on U visa certifications, and emergency services are now provided to victims on a regular basis. 

New methods were developed to handle cases with large numbers of foreign victims and for victims of child sex tourism. Forman also recognized the critical need for experts to conduct child interviews for the agency and added two child forensic interview positions to the Office of Investigations. 

The basic ICE Victim Assistance Program with one program manager grew to a thriving program with 23 positions. Each of the ICE components assigned collateral duty staff to provide victim assistance within their component; attorneys in the Offices of Chief Counsel to provide technical assistance and legal advice; deportation officers to manage ICE’s postcorrectional Victim Notification Program; agents to provide assistance to victims in ICE internal investigations; agents assigned overseas in 52 ICE Attaché offices to coordinate victim services in transnational cases; and Federal Protective Service agents and officers to tend to the needs of persons victimized in more than 8,800 federal buildings. ICE has made significant strides in giving victims much-needed security, support, and attention. 

Members of the Victim Assistance Program staff have been recognized with Excellence in Law Enforcement Awards by the ICE Assistant Secretary and by the international organization Women in Federal Law Enforcement. 

With the unwavering support of the ICE senior management team, the ICE Victim Assistance Program is fulfilling a full scope of victim assistance responsibilities—from direct services during federal investigations, both domestic and international, to managing a correctional-based victim notification program. 

OVC nominated the ICE Victim Assistance Program.