New special agent takes helm at HSI satellite office in Syracuse

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has named Brian Devine as the new resident agent in charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office based in Syracuse.

As resident agent in charge, Devine, a 15-year veteran of federal law enforcement, supervises two HSI offices comprised of special agents and support personnel who enforce HSI’s legal authorities throughout 12 counties in the central New York region. HSI special agents protect national security, public safety, and enforce immigration and customs laws by conducting criminal investigations in various mission areas such as: national security and counterterrorism, drug smuggling, illegal export of munitions and sensitive technology, money laundering, transnational gangs, human smuggling and trafficking, identity and benefit fraud, human rights and war crimes, intellectual property rights, and crimes against children, to include child sex tourism and other child sexual exploitation crimes.

HSI protects America’s borders, national security, and public safety by targeting transnational threats, both at home and abroad. HSI is a critical U.S. law enforcement asset, responsible for identifying, disrupting and dismantling all forms of transnational criminal and terrorist organizations that seek to exploit America’s legitimate trade, travel, financial and immigration systems for illicit purposes. HSI has one of the broadest legal authorities of any U.S. federal criminal investigative agency, and has longstanding specialized expertise in defeating transnational organizations that threaten our borders, our nation’s security and our public’s safety.

"Brian has my complete confidence and I know he’ll do an excellent job leading his team in Syracuse," said Buffalo Special Agent in Charge James Spero, whose region encompasses Devine’s area. Spero heads HSI’s Buffalo office covering 48 counties throughout western, central and northern New York.

Prior to accepting the position as HSI resident agent in charge in Syracuse, Devine was chief of HSI’s national counterterrorism section in Washington, D.C. In that position, he managed HSI national security program managers and special agents as well as intelligence and analytic personnel, who were responsible for oversight of HSI’s participation on the FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTFs). His team also provided operational and investigative support to all HSI assets assigned to the JTTF nationwide in furtherance of the counterterrorism mission.

Devine is a native of western New York and recently relocated to Syracuse.