ICE Targets Interoperable Data Platform Within Five Years

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to deploy an interoperable data platform capable of hosting and sharing data across the enterprise within the next five years, Chief Data Officer Cairn Quiroga said during a Homeland Security and Defense Forum (HSDF) event on Thursday.

“We’re at the point of needing mission data from all the components and agencies to be able to do our job,” said Quiroga. “That is one of our highest priorities, and a key aspect to making sure the data gets out there.”

ICE CIO Dustin Goetz said the platform will provide application owners with a consistent set of data standards. It will also include a data mesh layer — a decentralized approach that removes silos in data management — to streamline data sharing.

“When we talk about the future, it’s all inevitably going to go back to how we’re standardizing data, how we’re consuming data from different places,” said Goetz. “A lot of these folks have a very thin budget, and we need to help the transition of their data so it can be consumable to others.”

ICE’s data modernization will also streamline AI adoption as the agency aims “to automate as many of [ICE’s] business functions as possible,” Goetz said.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is using AI to help auditors transfer handwritten case information into digital systems. Quiroga said the tool tool enables auditors to make informed decisions more quickly and flags nuanced areas that may require additional review.

“We’ve seen it grow and make tremendous success and decrease the workload and the backlog that was almost possible to get through, but then also just taking that time for the officers to do other stuff,” said Quiroga.

Quiroga said the workforce has been receptive to AI, driven by DHS leadership support and ongoing discussions about the technology’s role.

“It’s not a replacement; AI is an ally to all of us. It’s making our jobs easier,” said Quiroga. “Leading by example, being accountable for the decisions that are made, and using AI for their own decision making and then owning that decision is important to boosting AI literacy.”