Homeland Security Investigations

HSI conducts criminal investigations against terrorist and other criminal organizations who threaten national security. HSI combats worldwide criminal enterprises who seek to exploit America's legitimate trade, travel and financial systems and enforces America's customs and immigration laws at and beyond our nation's borders.

James Dinkins
Executive Associate Director, Homeland Security Investigations

James A. Dinkins is the executive associate director of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE is the second largest criminal investigative agency in the United States and the largest investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. HSI is comprised of more than 9,113 employees, which includes more than 7,050 special agents who are assigned to 26 special agent in charge offices in major cities, 185 other field offices throughout the United States, and 71 overseas locations in 47 countries. As the director, Mr. Dinkins has direct oversight of ICE's investigative and enforcement initiatives and operations targeting cross-border criminal organizations that exploit America's legitimate travel, trade, financial and immigration systems for their illicit purposes. This includes the investigation of financial crimes; bulk cash smuggling; narcotics smuggling and trafficking; human smuggling and trafficking; commercial trade, fraud and intellectual property right crimes; cyber crimes and the exploitation of children; immigration and document and benefit fraud; human rights violators; transnational gang activity; and weapons smuggling and export enforcement. To accomplish this mission, Mr. Dinkins administers a budget of more than $2 billion and is responsible for strategic planning, national policy implementation and the development and execution of all operational initiatives.

Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Dinkins held a number of key leadership positions within ICE, including special agent in charge for HSI Washington, D.C., acting director for the Office of Professional Responsibility, special agent in charge for HSI Baltimore, chief of ICE's Cornerstone and Financial Investigation Programs at ICE headquarters in Washington, D.C., assistant special agent in charge for HSI Michigan and Ohio and acting attaché for HSI Frankfurt.

Mr. Dinkins began his law enforcement career as a co-op student with the U.S. Customs Service in 1986. In 1989, he became a special agent with the U.S. Customs Service office in San Francisco. In 1996, Mr. Dinkins transferred to the Detroit office where he was promoted to group supervisor and then assistant special agent in charge. In 2004, he was promoted to ICE headquarters and served as the ICE Cornerstone and Financial Investigation Programs chief where he was responsible for developing international and domestic initiatives designed to combat vulnerabilities in America's financial and trade sectors that could be exploited by terrorist or other criminal organizations.

Mr. Dinkins holds a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from the University of Detroit, where he graduated magna cum laude.

HSI strives to be a preeminent law enforcement entity that provides unparalleled investigation, interdiction and security services to the public and the agency's law enforcement partners.

HSI comprises six key divisions:

• Domestic Operations
• Intelligence
• International Affairs
• Mission Support
• National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Coordination Center
• National Security Investigations Division

HSI has 26 field offices throughout the United States.