Chapter 3. Goals and Objectives

Goal Relationships

DRO developed five strategic goals to guide the program’s operational efforts and resource requirements towards accomplishing its mission and meeting its ultimate objective: remove all removable aliens. Three operational goals are directly aligned with and support the ICE mission and the second of its five (DRAFT) strategic goals and can be further aligned with strategic objectives identified in the National Strategy for Homeland Security. The remaining two goals support ICE’s fourth strategic goal as well as administrative elements within the President’s Management Agenda. These last two are essential to building the infrastructure and capacity to carry out the DRO mission.

Homeland Security to DRO

The purpose of the National Strategy for Homeland Security “is to mobilize and organize our Nation to secure the U.S. homeland from Terrorist attacks.” (cited from National Strategy for Homeland Security, Office of Homeland Security, Executive Office of the President (July 2002), p. vii) The original strategy, dated July 2002, identified three strategic objectives for meeting this purpose that were later supplemented with another two during the FY2005-2009 budget development cycle. The plan then aligns its functions essential to achieving these objectives into six critical mission areas.

A. DHS Strategic Objectives

1. Prevent terrorist attacks within the United States;

2. Reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism;

3. Minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur;

4. Ensure functions not directly related to homeland security are not diminished or neglected; and

5. Monitor and sever connections between illegal drug trafficking and terrorism; and conduct other efforts to interdict illegal drug trafficking.

B. DHS Critical Mission Areas

1. Intelligence and warning;

2. Border and transportation security

· Create smart borders

· Reform immigration services.

3. Domestic counter-terrorism;

· Improve intergovernmental law enforcement coordination.

· Facilitate apprehension of potential terrorists.

4. Protecting critical infrastructure;

5. Defending against catastrophic terrorism; and

6. Emergency preparedness and response

The critical mission area, Border and Transportation Security, envisions that “federal law enforcement agencies will take swift action against those who or violate terms of entry and pose threats to the American people.” (cited from Ibid, pg 22) Specifically stated within the initiative to create smart borders, ‘the Department would enter into national law enforcement databases the names of high-risk aliens who remain in the United States longer than authorized and, when warranted, deport illegal aliens.” (cited from Ibid, pg 23) This statement is the Strategy’s direct link to DRO’s mission: “Remove all removable aliens.”

A second element in this mission area is to reform immigration services, and DRO has already completed a step in this process. In May 2003, the Assistant Secretary for ICE announced am interim organization structure for the bureau. Within this structure DRO field elements would be geographically realigned with that of the investigations program and re-subordinated to report directly to HQ DRO, Field Operations Division. This reorganization will:

· Create a direct line of authority over all DRO elements;

· Develop and practice consistent operations nationwide;

· Develop and apply uniform detention standards;

· Optimize nationwide utilization of bed space and transportation resources; and

· Mirror and fully support the ICE enforcement field structure.

The Director, DRO with direct control over field operations and the program’s detention facilities will be in the best position to influence real changes and the regulation needed to address and resolve historical issues regarding the treatment of population, facility and infrastructure conditions, personnel training, and much-needed standardization of policy and procedures.

The critical mission area, Domestic Counterterrorism, envisions that “we will prosecute or bring immigration or other civil charges against such individuals where appropriate and will utilize the full range of our legal authorities.” DRO operations and goals are linked to this mission area’s first two major initiatives. DRO will work with the FBI on Joint Task Forces and has a lead role in registering over 400,000 fugitive aliens in the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Specific DRO strategies include the development and execution of National Fugitive Operations Plans, which provide the guidance Deportation Officers will need to apprehend those aliens registered in the NCIC for processing and ultimate removal.

DHS strategic objectives 1 and 4 flow through the border and transportation security critical mission are into the Department’s directorate of Border and Transportation Security and further down to the Bureau of Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE). Through this channel ICE developed a mission statement and (DRAFT) strategic goals to support the DHS objectives.

ICE to DRO

A. ICE Mission

To protect the United States and its people by deterring, interdicting, and investigation threats arising from the movement of people and goods into and out of the United States; and by policing and securing federal facilities across the nation.

B. ICE (DRAFT) Strategic Goals

1. Investigating threats, crimes, and administrative violations;

2. Deterring, interdicting, and removing threats; and policing and securing federal facilities;

3. Provide air and marine support to minimize the damage, and assist in the recovery from terrorist attacks;

4. Protect America from customs and immigration violations not directly linked to terrorism;

5. Investigate money laundering and drug operations to disrupt and dismantle their organizations, especially where terrorist related.

ICE strategic goals are then aligned with ICE programs. The DRO mission is directly aligned with ICE strategic goals 2 and 4 and Figure 3 below illustrates the complete flow from top to bottom.

C. Indirect Relationships

DRO goals can be indirectly linked to the remaining ICE objectives through the service it provides it’s other immigration enforcement partners. Immigration and homeland security efforts and operations conducted under the remaining ICE goals often yield outputs that result in DRO inputs. That is, DRO is responsible for the detention, processing and removal of aliens apprehended by other immigration and law enforcement partners. DRO does not, however, have control over these enforcement efforts and must rely on its partners to provide estimated service and support needs and resource requirements.

Goal Alignment

DHS Strategic Objective:

Prevent terrorist attacks within the United States.

ICE Strategic Goal:

Deterring, Interdicting, and Removing Threats; and Policing and Securing Federal Facilities

All five of DRO’s goals directly affect the successful execution and accomplishment of this goal. Over the next ten years, through execution of this plan, DRO will build the capacity to remove all removable aliens. DRO’s short-term focus until that capacity is built will be on the identification, location, apprehension, processing, and removal of the criminal element of the illegal alien population.

DRO Goal One – Removals: Promote the integrity of the immigration removals process, deter immigration violations, and reduce recidivism through the implementation of cohesive enforcement strategies in conjunction with other programs facilitating the location, apprehension, processing of illegal aliens, and especially criminals, to ultimately effect appropriate action to include prosecution, detention and/or removal.

· Objective 1.1 – Promote public safety and combat immigration-related crimes by removing individuals, especially criminals and other threats to public safety, who are unlawfully present in the United States.

· Objective 1.2 – Support DHS efforts to deter illegal migration.

DRO’s mission is an integral part of the immigration enforcement process and equally critical to protecting our homeland. DRO will support this goal through participation in various task forces, information sharing and any other required law enforcement support.

DRO Goal Two - Custody Management: Provide for the safe, secure, and humane confinement of persons detained in accordance with immigration law.

· Objective 2.1 – Provide safe, secure and humane detention facilities and methods.

· Objective 2.2 – Optimize detention space/system.

· Objective 2.3 – Provide alternative ICE detention settings and methods.

DRO will develop and implement several strategies and programs to ensure the most cost effective and efficient use of bed space throughout the country while meeting the needs of its unique and very diverse population.

DRO will work with other federal detention agencies as roles and responsibilities are redefined to ensure these objectives remain, are not lost in the shuffle, and continue to be supported.

DRO Goal Three – Non - Detained Docket:

· Objective 3.1 – Ensure that released individuals comply with the conditions of their release.

· Objective 3.2 – Enhance partnerships with EOIR and immigration judges to correct deficiencies in the system and facilitate the removal process.

DHS Strategic Objective:

Ensure functions not directly related to homeland security are not diminished or neglected.

ICE Strategic Goal:

Protect America from customs and immigration violations not directly linked to terrorism

DRO Goal Four – Information Technology: Develop and implement a comprehensive integrated information technology system that provides operational and managerial data and supports all levels of DRO activities.

· Objective 4.1 - Enhance existing data management systems

· Objective 4.2 - Develop fully automated and integrated case management system.

· Objective 4.3 - Develop fully automated management information systems.

· Objective 4.4 - Maximize the capability to collect and disseminate intelligence data and trends on a real-time basis to support ICE enforcement objectives.

The overarching theme expressed throughout this plan and DRO’s vision statement is the development of the infrastructure and capacity to remove all removable aliens. DRO has created it’s own information technology and human capital management goals with supporting objectives and strategies to build and maintain a 100% removal capacity.

DRO will accomplish its mission when it has the right levels of the right resources and the real property and technology needed to sustain the workforce.

DRO Goal 5 – Human Capital Management: Recruit, train and retain adequate numbers of professionals to maximize service-wide performance.

· Objective 5.1 – Develop and implement a uniform staffing model to meet broad program needs.

· Objective 5.2 – Maintain peak performance through continuous staff development.

· Objective 5.2 – Provide an environment for successful retention of DRO employees.

· Objective 5.4 – Maintain peak performance through continuous organizational analysis.

Milestones

In the next ten years, DRO will secure the resources necessary to implement this plan, execute its mission as a viable and critical partner in the immigration enforcement program. DRO must meet the following milestones to reach it’s ten-year vision:

· As expeditiously as practicable, DRO will obtain American Corrections Association (ACA) accreditation for all of its owned and contracted detention facilities.

· Within three years, DRO will develop and implement a uniform staffing model and career development program.

· Within three years, DRO will be able to conduct budgetary planning, resource allocation, and cost optimization utilizing a tailored business model with standard costing.

· Within five years, DRO will develop and implement the ability to process removals equal to the number of final orders of removal issued, eliminating the growth of the fugitive alien population.

· Within five years, DRO will implement effective controls to monitor and track aliens under immigration proceedings but not in ICE custody.

· Within five years, all DRO detention facilities will meet or exceed ICE Detention Standards.

· Within five years, DRO will implement a national custody management plan and a national transportation management plan to optimize the use of available bed space and increase removal effectiveness.

· Within ten years, DRO will eliminate the backlog of fugitive aliens, focusing on criminals first.

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