Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducts investigations of IP-related criminal activity, including infringement of trademark and copyright law. ICE’s primary mission is to protect the homeland. It is also responsible for combating commercial fraud, which includes IP enforcement. ICE’s interim agency-wide strategic plan and its plan for commercial fraud are law enforcement sensitive and not available to the public. However, according to ICE officials, the top priorities within commercial fraud enforcement are public health and safety violations and IP infringement. Within ICE’s Office of Investigations, the Critical Infrastructure and Fraud Division develops the agency’s IP policies and oversees its IP enforcement efforts. The division’s IP responsibilities are handled by the Branch for Commercial Fraud and Intellectual Property Rights, which also houses the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.

Although the center is officially an interagency coordination body, it plays a lead role in developing and carrying out ICE’s IP enforcement policies. In addition, ICE has a Cyber Crimes Center ("C3")that focuses on Internet-based crimes, including IP piracy, and provides referrals and investigative assistance to ICE’s field offices. IP investigations are carried out by agents located in about 100 U.S. cities, organized under ICE’s 26 field offices.