ICE Split: Homeland Security Investigations to Operate Independently by 2027, Focusing on Transnational Crime

The "ICE Security Reform Act of 2025" is shaking up the Department of Homeland Security. The big change? Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is breaking away from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) within the next two years. ICE will be renamed U.S. Immigration Compliance Enforcement, focusing on...well, immigration compliance. HSI will stand alone, with its own Director (appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate) and its own legal team. The goal here is to streamline operations and sharpen the focus of each agency.

HSI's New Game Plan

So, what does this mean in practice? HSI, the investigative arm that deals with everything from human trafficking to financial crimes, will get a major operational overhaul. Section 2 of the bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General to create updated investigative guidelines within two years. Think of it as a new playbook that takes into account things like surveillance tech and protecting sensitive information. For example, if you're a business owner dealing with intellectual property theft that crosses international borders, HSI will be the focused agency handling that, ideally with less overlap with other federal agencies. There will also be reviews and agreements to prevent stepping on toes when investigating transnational crimes (Section 2).

The Transition: Who's in Charge?

Getting this done won't be a simple task. The bill gives the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a lot of power (Section 8) to decide exactly how personnel, assets, and even unspent funds get moved around. If you’re working for one of these agencies, your job could shift, and the OMB will be calling the shots on how that happens. The Secretary of Homeland Security has to report to Congress every 180 days on the progress (Section 2), so there's supposed to be some oversight. Existing legal authorities and any ongoing legal proceedings remain in place during the transition (Section 5). And if you have a pending application for a permit or some kind of assistance, it won’t be tossed out because of this change.

Delegation and Potential Pitfalls

One thing to watch: Section 7 allows officials who have duties transferred to them to delegate those duties further down the line. While this could make things more efficient, it also raises the question of accountability. Who's ultimately responsible if something goes wrong? The bill also allows for existing funds to be used to cover costs associated with ending terminated programs (Section 10). This is a standard procedure, but it's worth keeping an eye on how those funds are actually used.

The Big Picture

This reorganization is presented as a way to improve efficiency and focus within immigration and customs enforcement. By separating the investigative functions (HSI) from the compliance and enforcement functions (the renamed ICE), the government aims for a clearer chain of command and less internal confusion. However, the success of this plan hinges on the details – how the new guidelines are written, how effectively the agencies cooperate, and how the OMB manages the transfer of resources. The broad delegation authority (Section 7) and the OMB's significant power (Section 8) are areas to watch closely.