Agency Profile Series: HSI

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is the primary investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It enforces more than 400 federal statutes, giving its special agents one of the broadest authorities of any U.S. law enforcement agency. HSI agents are tasked with countering some of the most sophisticated and far-reaching threats to the United States, blending immigration, customs, financial, and cyber investigative powers under a single umbrella.

HSI was formally established in 2010 through the merger of ICE’s Office of Investigations and the Office of International Affairs. ICE itself had been created in 2003 after the September 11 attacks, consolidating parts of the U.S. Customs Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). The creation of HSI streamlined investigative authority, allowing for more effective responses to crimes that cross both physical and digital borders.

HSI special agents enforce laws in a wide spectrum of areas, with a mandate to dismantle transnational criminal organizations and protect the U.S. from global threats. Key investigative priorities include:

• Counterterrorism and National Security: Disrupting terrorist financing, preventing weapons proliferation, and enforcing sanctions (ICE National Security Investigations).

• Narcotics and Human Smuggling: Targeting drug cartels and dismantling human trafficking networks (HSI Smuggling & Trafficking Investigations).

• Financial and Trade Crimes: Combating customs fraud, intellectual property theft, and money laundering (ICE Financial Crimes).

• Cybercrime: Pursuing child exploitation, ransomware, and illicit cryptocurrency activity (HSI Cyber Crimes Center).

• Cultural Property and Artifacts: Recovering stolen art and antiquities (ICE Cultural Property Program).

This dual authority over both immigration and customs matters sets HSI apart from other federal agencies and allows for investigations that span multiple legal domains.

HSI’s reach is global, operating at both U.S. and international levels:

• Domestic: HSI maintains 235 offices in cities across the United States, organized under Special Agent in Charge (SAC) jurisdictions. According to DHS reports, approximately 6,800 special agents are stationed domestically, supported by analysts, technical experts, and mission-support staff (House Judiciary Testimony, 2024).

• International: HSI operates over 90 international offices in more than 50 countries, with some reports citing 93 offices in 56 countries (ICE International Operations). This makes HSI the largest DHS investigative presence overseas and one of the largest international networks of any U.S. law enforcement agency (Congressional Testimony, 2024).

This dual network of 235 domestic offices and 90+ international attaché posts provides HSI with unmatched global coverage. It allows agents to act in real time against cartels, smugglers, cybercriminals, and financial fraudsters, often before threats reach U.S. soil.

HSI employs about 7,100 special agents worldwide, supported by a total workforce of more than 8,700 personnel (ICE HSI Fact Sheet). Agents are embedded in task forces, intelligence-sharing units, and joint operations centers, ensuring collaboration with federal, state, local, and international partners.

Since its creation in 2010, HSI has grown into one of the most versatile investigative agencies in the U.S. government. By combining immigration and customs authorities, deploying thousands of agents domestically, and operating in more than 50 countries abroad, HSI is uniquely positioned to tackle the evolving landscape of transnational crime. With its 235 domestic offices and 90+ international posts, HSI represents one of the most globally integrated law enforcement agencies, serving as a cornerstone of America’s fight against international threats.

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