Matthew Albence

Matthew T. Albence was the Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). As ICE’s senior law enforcement official, Mr. Albence executed oversight of ICE's day-to-day operations and oversaw a workforce of more than 21,000 officers, special agents, attorneys, and mission support professionals assigned to more than 400 domestic and international offices, with a budget of almost $9 billion. During his tenure, ICE achieved record-setting accomplishments in a multitude of critical performance measures, to include criminal arrests, trafficking and sexual exploitation victims rescued, and narcotics seizures. Now, as Principal of GrindStone Strategic Consulting, LLC, a boutique firm, he offers expert guidance, counsel, and subject-matter expertise in national security, business development, corporate investigative services, management consulting, and leadership development. Through the GrindStone’s network of former national security and law enforcement executives and practitioners, Mr. Albence provides unparalleled insight and support to both private industry and law enforcement agencies seeking solutions to emerging challenges. Prior to assuming the role of Acting Director, Mr. Albence was selected in August 2018 as the agency’s Deputy Director. Serving as its Chief Operating Officer, he was responsible for all operational and administrative functions of the agency, as well as the direct management of its senior leaders. Mr. Albence has nearly three decades of federal law enforcement experience, beginning his career in San Antonio as a Special Agent with the former U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS) in 1994. Mr. Albence’s supervisory experience includes positions as a Supervisory Special Agent, Deputy Assistant District Director for Investigations, Deputy Special Agent in Charge, Director of the ICE Office of Investigations (now Homeland Security Investigations) Training Academy; TSA Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the South-Central Regional Field Office; Assistant Director for Enforcement within ERO. In February 2017, Albence was appointed as the Executive Associate Director (EAD) for ICE’s Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), leading ERO in its mission to identify, arrest, and remove aliens who present a danger to national security or are a risk to public safety, as well as those who enter the United States illegally or otherwise undermine the integrity of our immigration laws and our border control efforts. In this role, Mr. Albence led an organization of more than 7,600 employees assigned to 24 ERO field offices and 22 overseas locations. Mr. Albence is a proven leader with a sustained track record of delivering strategic change, building coalitions, and producing positive results in a continually evolving and incredibly complex and high-profile operational environment. His leadership successfully guided the agency in safeguarding the nation’s border, travel, trade, financial and immigration enterprises from national security, public safety, and cyber-enabled threats. Throughout his career, Matt received numerous awards and accolades, earned for his efforts as an agent on the street working cases, to those stemming from his steadfast leadership and commitment to his people and his mission. He is a recipient of the Presidential Rank Award, the country’s highest civil service recognition, and the DHS Distinguished Service Medal, the highest service award granted by the Secretary, in recognition for exceptionally distinguished and transformational service to strengthen homeland security. Mr. Albence received a B.S. in Justice from American University and a M.S. in Administration of Justice from the Center for the Study of Crime, Delinquency, and Corrections at Southern Illinois University.