Henry Lucero

Experience

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  US Army

  Jan 1993 - Jan 1997

  Army Specialist

  Deployed to Operation Joint Endeavor

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  U.S. Department of Justice

  Jan 1997 - Jan 2002

  Agent
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  U.S. Department of Homeland Security

  Jan 2002 - Jan 2008

  Program Manager assigned to the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Unit.

  • National Program Manager

    Jan 2007 - Jan 2008

  • Senior Special Agent

    Jan 2002 - Jan 2007
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  U.S. Department of Homeland Security

  Jul 2008 - Sept 2022

  Direct top performing teams of special agents and analysts tasked with sustaining national security programs for Homeland Security Investigations. Provide in-depth industry expertise to drive a host of essential initiatives including strategic planning, national policy implementation, and operational development / execution.» Steered programmatic oversight of HSI resources serving on FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces and Counterintelligence Task Forces. » Lead the Counterterrorism & Criminal Exploitation Unit, Human Rights Violators & War Crimes Center, and the National Security Unit.» Strategize actionable responses to emerging national security issues through transparent and productive collaboration with Intelligence Community and FBI. Show less Led team of 350 personnel in daily interior immigration law enforcement operations for Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Missouri, and Kansas. Maintained agency and mission integrity by deftly navigating enforcement, detention, and removal operations in politically sensitive environments. Built and managed strategic partnerships with federal and local law enforcement to expedite tactical and operational decisions.» Worked closely with government agencies on resettlement initiatives for incoming Afghan refugees on a regional scale.» Revitalized operational productivity and workflow by restructuring department to meet evolving agency needs.» Identified and maximized agency performance through targeted staff mobilization into FBI, HSI and and US Marshals taskforces. Show less Led comprehensive budget, workforce, and daily operations as top authority within ERO, managing nearly 8K staff spanning 24 field offices, 200 domestic offices, and 25 international locations. Fortified national security by promptly identifying and removing all threats to public safety and immigration law compliance. Developed and managed $4.4B budget with acute focus on financial integrity and stability.» Analyzed, developed, and scaled progressive solutions to meet current national security and public safety concerns.» Elevated ERO mission status and transparency to political and Intelligence Community (IC) stakeholders, briefing senior White House and department officials, testifying before Congress, and held press conferences to build ERO credibility. Show less Directed 450 employees in all interior immigration law enforcement operations for Arizona, facilitating all enforcement, detention, and removal activities. Managed 3 large detention facilities averaging 3K detainees and oversaw 1K guard and transportation staff, prioritizing compliance with ICE National Detention Standards through routine site visits and inspections. Administered $120M program budget and all human capital management to align with long-range organizational vision.» Forged collaborative network of top executives from federal, state, local, and foreign governments, members of Congress, media outlets, nonprofits, and private entities.» Empowered staff to own program accountability and results, providing stretch opportunities to build bench of rising agency leadership that grew employee morale and loyalty.» Met with Arizona Sheriffs, US Marshall Service leadership, and Arizona Department of Corrections to streamline matrixed activities and eliminate performance gaps. Show less Led 800 staff in all interior immigration law enforcement operations spanning central and southern Texas including detention facilities housing 7K detainees. Worked collaboratively with a host of stakeholders, from media outlets to government officials in both federal and local ecosystems. Partnered with US Border Patrol, BOP, US Marshals, and Texas Department of Criminal Justice in collaborative cadence that simplified inmate transition to ICE custody.» Received ICE Director’s Award for International Achievement in 2015 for saving $75M annually through diplomatic, new national security implementation.» Briefed Police Chiefs at Alamo Police Chiefs Association meetings monthly on field updates and pressing issues.» Detailed ongoing activities at border to various stakeholders to inform strategic decision-making. Show less •Responsible for the development and implementation of national interior immigration enforcement programs and operations through subordinate executives to include Criminal Alien Program, Fugitive Operations Program, Alternatives to Detention, and Bond Unit. •Provided leadership and direction on all aspects of the Compliance Enforcement Division, consisting of more than 70 employees who had programmatic oversight of approximately 1,000 employees located across 24 field offices, with an operating budget over $235M.•Conducted congressional and executive briefings on operational programs, justification of expenditures, successes, and new programs. •Developed strategic partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, including Federal, state and local law enforcement officials, congressional staff and non-governmental organizations. Show less

  • Deputy Assistant Director- Homeland Security Investigations (Senior Executive Service)

    Oct 2021 - Sept 2022

  • Field Office Director (Senior Executive Service)

    Feb 2021 - Oct 2021

  • Executive Associate Director - Enforcement & Removal Operations (Senior Executive Service)

    Feb 2020 - Feb 2021

  • Deputy Executive Associate Director (Senior Executive Service)

    Sept 2019 - Feb 2020

  • Assistant Director - Field Operations (Senior Executive Service)

    May 2019 - Sept 2019

  • Field Office Director (Senior Executive Service)

    Jun 2016 - May 2019

  • Field Office Director (Senior Executive Service)

    Jun 2012 - May 2016

  • Field Office Director

    Oct 2009 - May 2012

  • Deputy Assistant Director

    Jul 2008 - Nov 2009
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  University of Phoenix

  Jan 2014 - Jan 2016

  Adjunct Professor

  Educate undergraduate students in both group and one-on-one settings in critical concepts including leadership, strategic communications, and business. Empowered students with essential know-how to succeed in both academic and professional settings.

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  The GEO Group, Inc.

  Oct 2022 - now

  Vice President