So you want to be an HSI Special Agent?

HSI Overview

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is the primary investigative service within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the second largest 1811 criminal investigative service within the United States. HSI's customs & immigration origins date back to 1789 (See post: Which is truly the oldest federal agency?) and following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, it was reorganized as comprehensive and major investigative force within Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE). Unfortunately, due to this ICE Umbrella, HSI is also constantly confused with Enforcement & Removal Operations (ERO), whose officers are tasked with the primary enforcement of Civil Immigration laws. 

It is important for all serious candidates to understand that HSI's contributions to "homeland security" come in the form of combating transnational crime and "border" related investigative activities. This can encompass a wide range of programmatic areas and include child pornography, human smuggling & trafficking, intellectual property theft, financial fraud and scams, identity and benefit fraud, narcotics smuggling, export enforcement violations, money laundering, and transnational gang activity. These aforementioned violations cover a wide range of both illicit activity and criminal charges. HSI does contribute vital assets to various national security initiatives (i.e. Joint Terrorism Task Force), however, those assets are a limited number of assigned special agents, even though they have an oversized impact. HSI is primarily a federal criminal investigative service that places emphasis on arrests, indictments and convictions to measure its effectiveness. 

Reality of HSI

Although relatively large in size, HSI has a fairly low profile in public. HSI Special Agents enjoy a wide latitude in running their own criminal cases and can expect a more "cop-like" office culture. HSI routinely works joint investigations with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and have a management culture that encourages information sharing and inter-agency collaboration. HSI Special Agents regularly lead criminal investigations, however, they are just as comfortable as support agents helping a detective in a state level child sexual abuse case. For HSI management, providing this type of investigative support to State & Local law enforcement agencies is a vital part of the federal law enforcement mission and has resulted in much goodwill throughout the law enforcement community. In reality, HSI will do whatever it takes to help put criminals in jail, whether it is offering air surveillance services, cyber forensic support or helping dismantle a transnational gang in a jurisdiction. 

The day to day of an HSI special agent can vary drastically based on geographic location and group assignment:

•  The U.S./Mexico border is the front lines for many new HSI Special Agents and a reality that is unknown to most in the country. A typical duty day can involve massive seizures of narcotics, responses to stash houses where illegal migrants are held hostage, or apprehensions of violent cartel members. Many of these offices are also managing complex wire-tap operations, actively working informants and conducting dangerous search warrant or buy/bust operations on a daily basis. 
• The major U.S. cities with the highest cost of living are also a common place for new special agents, who are typically assigned to an Airport Group or Child Exploitation unit. The Airport Group traditionally focuses on narcotics interdiction and money laundering activities. The Child Exploitation unit often targets child pornography suspect and runs stings focused on phedophiles. 
• Seasoned special agents in major offices tend to gravitate towards Commercial Fraud (i.e. intellectual property rights, duties evasion/smuggling of goods, cultural property), Gangs (often in junction with local detectives), Counterproliferation (i.e. target foreign governments trying to illegally procure our weapons) and Financial Fraud (i.e. scams, money laundering). 
• Experienced special agents are often assigned to various task forces (i.e. Joint Terrorism Task Force, County Narcotics Task Forces, Liaison Positions).
• Certain HSI led task forces such as the Border Enforcement Task Security Task Force (which focuses on interdiction cases) and Document Benefit Fraud Task Force (which is a joint program with Diplomatic Security Service) have their own focused mission. 

Other Things About HSI

There are a few things that vary based on an agencies size and resources. HSI is a relatively larger agency that does offer a few benefits, career variety and important responsibilities:

• All criminal investigators are assigned a take-home vehicle. 
• Temporary duty assignments are frequently available (both domestically and overseas).
• HSI Special Agents can specialize in collateral assignments such as Special Response Team (aka SWAT), Cyber Forensics, Undercover, and Rapid Response Team (disaster response).
• Virtually all investigative groups have access to at least one intelligence research specialist for investigative support.
• Advanced academic and career development programs.
• Overseas assignments for senior special agents.
• Top notch issued gear, radio equipment and national communications center.
• Annual protective service details at UNGA and support to Secret Service during election cycles.
• Regular access to aviation assets.
• HQ assignment opportunities.
• Case variety: HSI has broad jurisdiction that covers several kinds of criminal activity. 

Getting Hired with HSI

HSI now has a number of hiring programs that focus on acquiring a varying number of skills among its workforce. Prospective candidates must be willing to continuously check USA Jobs for various openings. Below are some of the vacancy announcements recently used:

• General Vacancy Program: This is a general hiring announcement open to all members of the public that meet the minimum requirements. It typically starts in the GS 7-9 range and usually gets the most number of applicants. Veterans preference is usually offered and those with previous law enforcement experience and degree often do well.
• Lateral Program: This program is targeted towards current criminal investigators and ranges from GS 12-13. Only currently 1811 Special Agents are eligible (No exceptions). 
• Specialized Skills or Background: At times, HSI has posted specialized hiring announcements that target computer skills, females and DHS employees. 
• Direct Hire Program: This is another unique authority that allows offices to interview and hire preferred candidates. These applicants often tend to be task force officers or other law enforcement personnel that have worked joint cases with HSI. 
• Pathways Program: This is a student internship program that can lead to a special agent trainee slot. Read more about it on my HSI profile page. 

Keep in mind that if you are a current federal employee, your pay band is not guaranteed to transfer over to an 1811 position. 

Upon completing the entire General Vacancy selection process, HR will contact those on the final "cleared list" to put together an academy class of 24. Each class gets offered a variety of locations that are available (i.e. Dallas, NYC, Miami, San Diego, etc.). However, if there are only two slots in Dallas and the first two people on the "cleared list" select those offices, then those locations will be struck from the available list. The third person will then have to choose between NYC, Miami and San Diego (hypothetical examples). I advise applicants to make the decision immediately. Even waiting 20 minutes to think it over could result in the next person on the list taking your preferred location. If you decided that none of the available offices suit your fancy, you are effectively declining the Final Job Offer and will be permanently removed from that announcement. A applicant that declines this Final Job Offer will have to re-apply and again pass the entire selection process to have a chance at a different location. Word to the wise, it is a bad idea to decline a Final Job Offer due to location (most have regretted this decision). 

The most surefire way to be aware of all these types of announcements is to contact your local HSI recruiter, repeatedly check the HSI website and constantly review the USA Jobs 1811 vacancies. Be professional at all times as rude, unorganized & overbearing applicants are always remembered by administrative staff. 

A few additional tips to help you succeed:

• Any HSI test failures will result in a two-year moratorium before candidates can re-apply. Consequently, I urge all potential candidates to review my Test Prep Blog. 
• HSI requires detailed resumes to ensure candidates are qualified. Read my Resume Failures Blog post to learn more. 
• Start taking your personal digital security seriously. Read my blog "Basic Online Security for Special Agents."

• Depending on your background and type of announcement, the HSI application process can take anywhere from seven months to two years. Upon selection, all trainees must complete the Criminal Investigator Training Program and HSI Special Agent Training (Read my Academy Experience Blog Post to learn more.). 

In Conclusion

HSI is first and foremost, a federal criminal investigative agency. Expect to conduct surveillance, write warrant affidavits, execute arrests and move at a fairly fast pace with a cadre of aggressive law enforcement officers. Although it is the second largest 1811 agency in the United States, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is still relatively unknown to the public and most of its workforce is comfortable with being silent public servants. Consequently, if name recognition is truly important to you then this is definitely not a suitable home for your personality. Conversely, if you want to be a true criminal investigator, work amazing pro-active cases and make a difference, I encourage you to consider HSI as your premier federal law enforcement agency of choice.   

Read my exhaustive HSI Profile Page to learn more!