ICE consists of three directorates to accomplish the agency’s mission, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Management and Administration (M&A).
ICE's primary mission is to promote homeland security and public safety through the criminal and civil enforcement of federal laws governing border control, customs, trade and immigration.
Catch up on ICE’s most popular news stories from the week ending March 25, 2016
ICE executes its mission through the enforcement of more than 400 federal statutes, focusing on preventing terrorism, immigration enforcement and combating transnational crime.
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The ICE Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) upholds the agency’s standards for integrity and professionalism. As a key part of that responsibility, OPR investigates allegations of misconduct involving employees of ICE.
OPR investigates misconduct allegations based upon the following criteria:
In cases of potential misconduct, OPR prepares reports of its investigations for possible judicial or management action. OPR also provides independent reviews of ICE programs and offices, adjudicates ICE background investigations and issues security clearances for all prospective and current ICE employees and contract staff.
Finally, OPR oversees ICE detention functions, ensuring that facilities adhere to the agency’s detention standards. In the event of a detainee’s death, OPR investigates the circumstances of that death.
OPR is responsible for upholding DHS standards for integrity and professionalism by impartially investigating allegations of employee misconduct.
In addition, OPR inspects and reviews ICE offices, operations and processes in an effort to provide executive management with an independent review of the agency's organizational health. OPR oversees the agency’s detention functions to ensure compliance with ICE detention standards.
Waldemar Rodriguez is the Associate Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) and is responsible for overseeing OPR’s efforts to ensure ICE’s organizational integrity through a multi-layered approach of security operations, inspections and detention oversight, and investigations. OPR is responsible for impartially investigating allegations of serious employee and contractor misconduct, as well as other wrongdoing impacting ICE personnel and operations. OPR also provides senior executive leadership with independent reviews of ICE programs and operations, to ensure compliance with applicable policies, procedures, and detention standards. Additionally, OPR is responsible for ICE’s personnel, physical, and administrative security programs which protect ICE personnel, facilities, classified information and security systems, against both internal and external threats.
Prior to his assignment with OPR, Mr. Rodriguez was the Special Agent in Charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in El Paso, Texas and held various key leadership positions at ICE Headquarters in Washington, D.C., including Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) for Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Transnational Crime and Public Safety Division, DAD for HSI Domestic Operations, Acting DAD for the HSI Workforce Management Division, and Unit Chief for the HSI Workforce Management Staffing Solutions Unit.
Mr. Rodriguez’ HSI field assignments include service as a Group Supervisor in the SAC San Juan office, and as an Assistant Special Agent in Charge in Laredo, Texas.
Mr. Rodriguez began his law enforcement career in 1991 as a police officer with the Puerto Rico Police Department, where he served as a criminal investigator in the Criminal Intelligence Bureau and task force officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration. In 1997, Mr. Rodriguez entered federal service as a Special Agent with the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In 2001, he transferred to the former U.S. Customs Service as a Special Agent.
Mr. Rodriguez was promoted into the Senior Executive Service in August 2011. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences from the University of Turabo and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Puerto Rico.
