1

 So in original. Probably should be “Program”.

2

 So in original. “Program” probably should be inserted at end of heading.

3

 So in original. Probably should be “Operative”.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2023—Subsec. (g)(2). Pub. L. 117–347 substituted “2022 through 2027” for “2019 through 2022”.

2018—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 115–392, § 23(a)(1)(A), inserted “Homeland Security Investigations,” after “Customs Enforcement,”.

Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 115–392, § 23(a)(1)(B), added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The purpose of the Center shall be to provide investigative assistance, training, and equipment to support United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s domestic and international investigations of cyber-related crimes.”

Subsec. (b)(2)(C). Pub. L. 115–392, § 23(a)(2)(A), inserted “, which shall include participating in training for Homeland Security Investigations personnel conducted by Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces” after “agencies and personnel”.

Subsec. (b)(3)(B). Pub. L. 115–392, § 23(a)(2)(B)(i)(I), inserted “in child exploitation investigations” after “Enforcement” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (b)(3)(B)(i). Pub. L. 115–392, § 23(a)(2)(B)(i)(II), inserted “child” before “victims”.

Subsec. (b)(3)(C), (D). Pub. L. 115–392, § 23(a)(2)(B)(ii), (iii), inserted “child exploitation” after “number of”.

Subsec. (c)(2)(A). Pub. L. 115–392, § 23(a)(3)(A), inserted “and administer the Digital Forensics and Document and Media Exploitation program” after “forensics” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (c)(2)(C). Pub. L. 115–392, § 23(a)(3)(B), inserted “and emerging technologies” after “forensics”.

Subsec. (c)(2)(D). Pub. L. 115–392, § 23(a)(3)(C), substituted “, the National Association to Protect Children, and other governmental entities” for “and the National Association to Protect Children”.

Subsecs. (e), (f). Pub. L. 115–392, § 23(b)(2), added subsecs. (e) and (f). Former subsec. (e) redesignated (g).

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 115–392, § 23(b)(1), (3), redesignated subsec. (e) as (g), inserted par. (1) designation and heading, and added par. (2).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Findings

Pub. L. 114–22, title III, § 302(a), May 29, 2015, 129 Stat. 251, provided that: “Congress finds the following:

“(1)

The illegal market for the production and distribution of child abuse imagery is a growing threat to children in the United States. International demand for this material creates a powerful incentive for the rape, abuse, and torture of children within the United States.

“(2)

The targeting of United States children by international criminal networks is a threat to the homeland security of the United States. This threat must be fought with trained personnel and highly specialized counter-child-exploitation strategies and technologies.

“(3)

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the Department of Homeland Security serves a critical national security role in protecting the United States from the growing international threat of child exploitation and human trafficking.

“(4)

The Cyber Crimes Center of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a vital national resource in the effort to combat international child exploitation, providing advanced expertise and assistance in investigations, computer forensics, and victim identification.

“(5)

The returning military heroes of the United States possess unique and valuable skills that can assist law enforcement in combating global sexual and child exploitation, and the Department of Homeland Security should use this national resource to the maximum extent possible.

“(6)

Through the Human Exploitation Rescue Operative (HERO) Child Rescue Corps program, the returning military heroes of the United States are trained and hired to investigate crimes of child exploitation in order to target predators and rescue children from sexual abuse and slavery.”