On Saturday, the ICE’s Office of Air & Marine Interdiction deployed UH-60A Black Hawk helicopters and Cessna Citation II jets to locations in the New York City metropolitan area. These aircraft joined an existing contingent of AS-350 A-Star helicopters that are already in place at the ICE New York Air Unit. All these unarmed, law enforcement aircraft are sensor-equipped and outfitted with Forward-Looking Infra Red (FLIR) capabilities.

Approximately 50 ICE pilots and crewmembers are part of the deployment to New York. These crews operate in shifts to ensure 24-hour coverage of the restricted airspace. The crews are able to mobilize and launch aircraft in a matter of minutes. The aircraft and crews became fully operational in the New York area Sunday.

In addition, ICE detection systems specialists located at the Air & Marine Interdiction Coordination Center in Riverside, California, are providing critical support to the New York mission. From their state-of-the-art facility in Riverside, these specialists are scrutinizing multiple live radar feeds from New York to detect unauthorized flights and intrusions into the restricted airspace. They are in constant contact with personnel coordinating air security over New York.

“In less than five days, ICE was able to assemble a robust airspace security operation for the greater New York City area,” said Michael Garcia, the Assistant Secretary (designee) of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “This is yet another demonstration of the responsiveness and flexibility that our new bureau brings to the Department of Homeland Security and the nation.”

The ICE air deployment in New York is charged with patrolling what is known as the “New York Air Defense Identification Zone” or the New York ADIZ. This zone extends approximately 30 miles out from each of the major airports in the region -- John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark International Airport.

Last week, the FAA designated the New York ADIZ as a restricted fly zone. Private pilots flying in this restricted airspace are now required to file flight plans, “squawk” a discreet beacon code, and stay in contact with air traffic controllers. For further information on the specifications of the New York ADIZ, please contact the FAA.

The ICE air deployment will be identifying, tracking, sorting, and interdicting unauthorized aircraft or those not abiding by FAA regulations in the New York ADIZ. Aircraft making unauthorized intrusions into the ADIZ will be met by ICE aircraft and escorted to airports outside the restricted airspace. The FAA will determine the appropriate sanctions for such pilots.

The ICE air security deployment in New York will, in many respects, mirror the ICE air security deployment in Washington, D.C, which began in January 2003. In Washington, ICE air assets work as part of a coordinated command structure called the National Capital Region Coordination Center (NCRCC).

The NCRCC includes officials and assets from the ICE, the FAA, the Defense Department, the Secret Service, the Transportation Security Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Capitol Police and local law enforcement agencies.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for the enforcement of border, economic, infrastructure and transportation security laws. ICE seeks to prevent acts of terrorism by targeting the people, money and materials that support terrorist and criminal activities.