*Department of Homeland Security. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was established in 2002, combining 22 different federal departments and agencies into a unified, integrated Cabinet agency with the mission of preventing attacks and protecting Americans on land, sea and air.
*DHS includes the US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP); the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) organizations.
*Customs and Border Protection. On March 1, 2003, U.S. Customs and Border Protection became the nation’s first comprehensive border security agency with a focus on maintaining the integrity of the nation’s boundaries and ports of entry.
*On March 1, 2003, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) assumed responsibility for the immigration service functions of the federal government. USCIS was founded to enhance the security and efficiency of national immigration services by focusing exclusively on the administration of benefit applications. The Homeland Security Act created Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to oversee immigration enforcement laws and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) border security.
*The mission of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is to “Protect America through criminal investigations and enforcing immigration laws to preserve national security and public safety.”
*Migration Policy Institute. The nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute seeks to improve immigration and integration policies through authoritative research and analysis, opportunities for learning and dialogue, and the development of new ideas to address complex policy questions. Founded in 2001, MPI is headquartered in Washington, DC. In 2011, MPI established the Migration Policy Institute Europe, a nonprofit, independent research institute based in Brussels that builds upon the work that MPI has done for years in Europe.