Homeland Security Investigations

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). HSI is responsible for investigating a wide range of crimes related to national security, border security, and public safety.

HSI investigates crimes such as human trafficking, drug trafficking, cybercrime, financial crimes, and export enforcement. The division also plays a key role in protecting critical infrastructure and sensitive facilities. In addition, HSI works with international partners to combat transnational crime and enforce U.S. laws and regulations.

HSI has a global reach, with offices in more than 50 countries, and is one of the largest investigative agencies in the world. The division also plays a critical role in supporting disaster response and recovery efforts, and provides assistance to other law enforcement agencies when needed.

 

 

Farm labor traffickers bribed Georgia government employees, federal agent testifies
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Farm labor traffickers bribed Georgia government employees, federal agent testifies

The agent testified that bribery was linked to approval of farmworker housing, a key step in bringing seasonal workers in the U.S. Prosecutors say the organization targeted by Blooming Onion subjected workers to degrading living conditions, including housing them in cramped trailers The investigation has led to criminal prosecutions against 28 defendants charged with forced…

R. Kelly sentenced to 30 years in sex trafficking case – Odessa American
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R. Kelly sentenced to 30 years in sex trafficking case – Odessa American

NEW YORK Disgraced R&B superstar R. Kelly was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in prison for using his fame to sexually abuse young fans, including some who were just children, in a systematic scheme that went on for decades. Through tears and anger, several of Kelly’s accusers told a court, and the singer himself, that…

Hidden in Plain Sight: Survivors share stories to help combat human trafficking in Hampton Roads
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Hidden in Plain Sight: Survivors share stories to help combat human trafficking in Hampton Roads

Part 1: What is human trafficking? Watch related video here. Human trafficking is one of the most pressing human rights issues of our time. It’s a global issue, and Hampton Roads is not immune. The Polaris Project says 25 million people are being trafficked worldwide. A fraction of those victims are either trafficked through our…

Man Sentenced to 30+ Years for Sex Trafficking 14-Year-Old, Adult out of Dallas Hotel – Department of Justice
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Man Sentenced to 30+ Years for Sex Trafficking 14-Year-Old, Adult out of Dallas Hotel – Department of Justice

A Dallas man was sentenced today to more than 30 years in federal prison for sex trafficking a 14-year-old minor and an adult victim, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. A federal jury in Dallas convicted Anthony Lennell Acy, 34, on one count of child sex trafficking and one…

70 missing children, including sex trafficking victims, found in Texas operation – FOX 10 News Phoenix
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70 missing children, including sex trafficking victims, found in Texas operation – FOX 10 News Phoenix

EL PASO, Texas – U.S. authorities said 70 missing children, ranging in ages from 10 to 17, were recently found after a three-week-long operation based in Texas. Many of the kids, who included victims of sex trafficking and physical and sexual abuse, were located in West Texas, according to authorities. Some were also found in…

121 arrests in operation against migrant smuggling and human trafficking – INTERPOL
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121 arrests in operation against migrant smuggling and human trafficking – INTERPOL

Operation Storm Makers busts criminal networks profiting from the movement of vulnerable men, women and children across borders. Organ traffickers in Turkey staged wedding photos between recipients and donors to mislead hospital ethics checks.  LYON, France – An INTERPOL-coordinated operation targeting migrant smuggling and human trafficking has triggered 121 arrests across 25 countries, prompting 193…

California resident charged in human smuggling scheme
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California resident charged in human smuggling scheme

Seattle – A 48-year-old Elk Grove, California man was arrested May 24, 2022, in Lacey, Washington, and was charged by criminal complaint with running a human smuggling scheme over the northern border with Canada and into Washington State, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown.  Rajinder Pal Singh, aka Jaspal Gill, has been detained since his arrest…

Dallas Man Pleads Guilty to Leading Violent Sex Trafficking Organization
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Dallas Man Pleads Guilty to Leading Violent Sex Trafficking Organization

A Dallas man who called himself “Macknificent” pleaded guilty today to human trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. Tremont Blakemore, 42, was first charged in September 2019. He pleaded guilty Wednesday to sex trafficking through force, fraud, and coercion before U.S. District Judge Ada Brown. “This defendant systematically…

Stories you may have missed: Sex Trafficking Victims Being Punished; Sex Trafficker Admits to Recruiting a 14-Year-Old Minor; Nationwide Sex Trafficking and Prostitution Enterprise Indictments
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Stories you may have missed: Sex Trafficking Victims Being Punished; Sex Trafficker Admits to Recruiting a 14-Year-Old Minor; Nationwide Sex Trafficking and Prostitution Enterprise Indictments

Defendant Instructed Enforcer: “If She Dares Fight Back, Beat Her More Viciously. Get Some Results from the Beating.”

Polaris CEO Named to Homeland Security Advisory Council
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Polaris CEO Named to Homeland Security Advisory Council

I am honored to be named to the Homeland Security Advisory Council under Secretary Mayorkas’s leadership. While the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is best known for its role in fighting terrorism, the work of this agency also sits at the very heart of the nation’s response to human trafficking. Within the Department, Homeland…