Fact check: What is the difference between ICE ERO and HSI tactical teams?

1. Summary of the results

ICE ERO (Enforcement and Removal Operations) and HSI (Homeland Security Investigations) are two distinct operational directorates within ICE with fundamentally different missions and tactical teams ^[1]:

• ERO's primary focus is civil immigration enforcement - identifying, apprehending, detaining, and deporting undocumented immigrants ^[2]
• HSI's mission is broader, focusing on investigating and disrupting transnational criminal activities, including human trafficking, drug smuggling, and terrorism ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important details were missing from the original question:

• Tactical Team Structure: ICE has 25 federal tactical Special Response Teams (SRTs), with 17 specifically assigned to HSI as of 2014 ^[4]
• ERO SRT Specifics: ERO Special Response Teams are specifically trained for:
• Serving high-risk warrants
• Escorting dangerous criminal aliens
• Assisting local law enforcement during critical incidents ^[5]
• Operational Scope: While ERO focuses solely on immigration enforcement, HSI's mandate extends to "the full homeland security enterprise," including counter-terrorism operations and national security threats ^[6]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question implies these might be similar units with minor differences, when in fact they are fundamentally different organizations:

• They operate as two completely separate law enforcement agencies with distinct mission statements ^[3]
• While both have tactical teams, HSI tactical teams are more comparable to FBI SWAT teams and are considered "Police Paramilitary Units," while ERO SRTs specifically focus on immigration enforcement ^[4]
• The distinction is important because it reflects ICE's dual mandate: civil immigration enforcement (ERO) versus criminal law enforcement (HSI) ^[1]