PRIA Logo™
Title 6, Domestic SecurityRelease 119-110

§252 U.s. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Title 6 › CHAPTER 1 — HOMELAND SECURITY ORGANIZATION › SUBCHAPTER IV — BORDER, MARITIME, AND TRANSPORTATION SECURITY › Part D — Immigration Enforcement Functions › § 252

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates a Bureau of Border Security inside the Department of Homeland Security and makes the head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) the Assistant Secretary of ICE. The Assistant Secretary must report directly to the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security and must have at least 5 years of law enforcement experience and at least 5 years of management experience. The Assistant Secretary must set and run the policies for the agency’s duties, including those moved under section 251 and any others given by law, and must advise the Under Secretary about policies that affect U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services if there are conflicts. The Assistant Secretary must run the program that collects information on nonimmigrant foreign students and exchange visitors described in section 1372 of title 8, including SEVIS, and use that data for enforcement. Within 1 year after the section 251 transfers take effect, the Assistant Secretary must start a managerial rotation program so supervisors and managers at GS–14 or above gain experience in all major agency functions and work in at least one local office, and the Secretary must report to Congress on this program within 2 years. ICE must also have a Chief of Policy and Strategy to research and recommend enforcement policy and to coordinate with USCIS, and a principal legal advisor to give legal advice and represent the agency in exclusion, deportation, and removal cases before the Executive Office for Immigration Review.

Full Legal Text

Title 6, §252

Domestic Security, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment
(1)In general
There shall be in the Department of Homeland Security a bureau to be known as the “Bureau of Border Security”.
(2)Assistant Secretary
The head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall be the Assistant Secretary of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who—
(A)shall report directly to the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security; and
(B)shall have a minimum of 5 years professional experience in law enforcement, and a minimum of 5 years of management experience.
(3)Functions
The Assistant Secretary of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement—
(A)shall establish the policies for performing such functions as are—
(i)transferred to the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security by section 251 of this title and delegated to the Assistant Secretary by the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security; or
(ii)otherwise vested in the Assistant Secretary by law;
(B)shall oversee the administration of such policies; and
(C)shall advise the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security with respect to any policy or operation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement affecting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services established under part E of this subchapter, including potentially conflicting policies or operations.
(4)Program to collect information relating to foreign students
The Assistant Secretary of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall be responsible for administering the program to collect information relating to nonimmigrant foreign students and other exchange program participants described in section 1372 of title 8, including the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System established under that section, and shall use such information to carry out the enforcement functions of the agency.
(5)Managerial rotation program
(A)In general
Not later than 1 year after the date on which the transfer of functions specified under section 251 of this title takes effect, the Assistant Secretary of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall design and implement a managerial rotation program under which employees of such agency holding positions involving supervisory or managerial responsibility and classified, in accordance with chapter 51 of title 5, as a GS–14 or above, shall—
(i)gain some experience in all the major functions performed by such agency; and
(ii)work in at least one local office of such agency.
(B)Report
Not later than 2 years after the date on which the transfer of functions specified under section 251 of this title takes effect, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress on the implementation of such program.
(b)Chief of Policy and Strategy
(1)In general
There shall be a position of Chief of Policy and Strategy for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
(2)Functions
In consultation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel in local offices, the Chief of Policy and Strategy shall be responsible for— (A)
(B)coordinating immigration policy issues with the Chief of Policy and Strategy for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (established under part E of this subchapter), as appropriate.
(c)Legal advisor
There shall be a principal legal advisor to the Assistant Secretary of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The legal advisor shall provide specialized legal advice to the Assistant Secretary of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and shall represent the agency in all exclusion, deportation, and removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Amendment of SectionFor termination of amendment by section 6 of Pub. L. 118–96, see Termination Date of 2024 Amendment note below.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Part E of this subchapter, referred to in subsecs. (a)(3)(C) and (b)(2)(B), was in the original “subtitle E”, meaning subtitle E (§§ 451–462) of title IV of Pub. L. 107–296, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2195, which enacted part E (§ 271 et seq.) of this subchapter, amended section 1356 and 1573 of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality, and enacted provisions set out as a note under section 271 of this title. For complete classification of subtitle E to the Code, see Tables.

Amendments

2024—Pub. L. 118–96, §§ 3(b)(2)(C), 6, temporarily substituted “U.S. Immigration and Customs

Enforcement

” for “the Bureau of Border Security” wherever appearing. See Termination Date of 2024 Amendment note below. Pub. L. 118–96, §§ 3(b)(2)(A), 6, temporarily amended section catchline generally, substituting “U.S. Immigration and Customs

Enforcement

” for “Establishment of Bureau of Border Security”. See Termination Date of 2024 Amendment note below. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 118–96, §§ 3(b)(2)(D)(i), 6, temporarily struck out “of Bureau” after “Establishment” in heading. See Termination Date of 2024 Amendment note below. Subsec. (a)(3)(C). Pub. L. 118–96, §§ 3(b)(2)(D)(ii), 6, which directed the temporary substitution of “affecting U.S.” for “affecting the Bureau of”, was executed by making the temporary substitution for “that may affect the Bureau of” to reflect the probable intent of Congress. See Termination Date of 2024 Amendment note below. Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 118–96, §§ 3(b)(2)(D), 6, temporarily substituted “the agency.” for “the Bureau.” See Termination Date of 2024 Amendment note below. Subsec. (a)(5)(A). Pub. L. 118–96, §§ 3(b)(2)(B), 6, temporarily substituted “agency” for “bureau” wherever appearing. See Termination Date of 2024 Amendment note below. Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 118–96, §§ 3(b)(2)(E)(i), 6, temporarily substituted “U.S. Immigration and Customs

Enforcement

” for “Bureau of Border Security” in introductory provisions. See Termination Date of 2024 Amendment note below. Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 118–96, §§ 3(b)(2)(E)(ii), 6, temporarily substituted “U.S.” for “the Bureau of”. See Termination Date of 2024 Amendment note below. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 118–96, §§ 3(b)(2)(B), 6, temporarily substituted “agency” for “bureau”. See Termination Date of 2024 Amendment note below.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Termination Date of 2024 Amendment Pub. L. 118–96, § 6, Oct. 1, 2024, 138 Stat. 1572, provided that: “This Act [enacting section 258 of this title, amending this section and section 253 of this title and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 258 of this title] and the

Amendments

made by this Act shall cease to have force or effect beginning on October 1, 2030.”

Change of Name

Bureau of Border Security, referred to in section catchline and text, changed to Bureau of Immigration and Customs

Enforcement

by Reorganization Plan Modification for the Department of Homeland Security, eff. Mar. 1, 2003, H. Doc. No. 108–32, 108th Congress, 1st Session, set out as a note under section 542 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

6 U.S.C. § 252

Title 6, Domestic Security

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110