As the enforcement division of the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) employs attorneys and officers charged with the prosecution of foreign nationals in deportation or removal hearings. To promote public safety and national security, the Obama administration and ICE leadership have issued a series of guidance and training materials to advise ICE attorneys on how to prioritize cases in removal/deportation proceedings and what cases (if any) will qualify for termination, cancellation or administrative close.
In November 2011, Peter S. Vincent, the principal legal adviser for ICE, issued a memorandum to all ICE chief counsel that provides guidelines for case-by-case review of incoming cases and certain pending cases in immigration courts.
