Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
Thomas S. Winkowski was appointed the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on March 16, 2014.
As ICE's Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Mr. Winkowski leads the largest investigative agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Created in 2003, ICE has a budget of $5.6 billion and has nearly 20,000 employees in offices in all 50 states and 48 foreign countries.
In this role, Mr. Winkowski advances ICE's mission to promote homeland security and public safety through the criminal and civil enforcement of approximately 400 federal laws governing border control, customs, trade and immigration.
Mr. Winkowski brings deep law enforcement and customs-related experience to the job, having filled various positions of leadership during his nearly 4 decades with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and its predecessor agencies, including as Acting Commissioner.
Mr. Winkowski has worked side-by-side with ICE personnel while managing CBP's mission. As the Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Winkowski oversaw the daily operations of CBP's 60,000-employee workforce. Mr. Winkowski also served as Assistant Commissioner in CBP's Office of Field Operations where he managed the largest division within CBP.
Prior to his service at CBP headquarters in Washington, D.C., Mr. Winkowski served as the Director of Field Operations in Miami from 2002 to 2007, as well as Port Director in Miami and the Los Angeles International Airport.
Mr. Winkowski joined the U.S. Customs Service in 1975 as a cooperative education student. Upon graduating from Boston's Northeastern University in 1978, he was assigned to Los Angeles where he became a customs inspector.
Mr. Winkowski's service has been recognized by multiple presidents and administrations, including being awarded the Meritorious Presidential Rank Award by President Bush in 2004 and the Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank Award by President Obama in 2009.