The Office of the Attorney General is expanding its enforcement reach through a new partnership with the Department of Homeland Security. On Monday, criminal investigators from the AG’s Office were deputized to assist ICE as part of a program targeting repeat criminal offenders.

11 criminal investigators have been deputized under the Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement program. DHS ICE agent and deputy director Rodney Sayama presented the investigators with their federal credential badges, formally authorizing them to carry-out immigration enforcement functions in coordination with ICE.  All 11 have completed post training and will operate under DHS direction.

“With these credentials, our AG investigators are deputized as federal immigration agents, allowing the AG’s Office – working alongside ICE– to identify, detain, and remove non-U.S. citizen criminals who commit and are convicted of deportable crimes," explained Austin Fortuno, attache to the attorney general. The deputizations follow a memorandum of agreement signed with DHS in September 2025, aimed at improving coordination between federal and local agencies. 

The AG’s Office says the investigators will help identify removable criminal non-United States citizens already in custody and assist ICE with arrests tied to warrants or detainers.

Attorney General Doug Moylan stated the effort is designed to stop repeat offenders from cycling back into the community, saying, “We’re all working together to create a safer community to stop the pain and suffering that’s occurring to create a safer community, to stop the pain and suffering that’s occurring from criminals.”

According to the AG’s Office, since January 2, 2023, 110 criminal non-US citizens have been identified for removal, with 78 already deported. “That’s the important thing here: to protect we who are American citizens – and I think that is the most important part – but also the non-U.S. citizens that are here legally," Moylan said.

The AG also touted big savings for taxpayers as deportation would save more than $43,000 per inmate per year – amounting to about $3.3 million annually with the 78 completed cases so far, and an estimated $4.7 million per year once all 110 cases are completed.

The Attorney General’s Office further reiterated that the deputized investigators will operate under ICE oversight and within constitutional due process to deter crime before it can occurs, break the cycle of repeat crime, and keep the people of Guam safe.