United States Secret Service
MISSION STATEMENT
The United States Secret Service is mandated by statute and executive order to carry out two significant missions: protection and criminal investigations. The Secret Service protects the president and vice president, their families, heads of state, and other designated individuals; investigates threats against these protectees; protects the White House, vice president’s residence, foreign missions, and other buildings within Washington, D.C.; and plans and implements security designs for designated National Special Security Events. The Secret Service also investigates violations of laws relating to counterfeiting of obligations and securities of the United States; financial crimes that include, but are not limited to, access device fraud, financial institution fraud, identity theft, computer fraud; and computer-based attacks on our nation’s financial, banking, and telecommunications infrastructure.
The United States Secret Service is a federal law enforcement agency with headquarters in Washington, D.C., and more than 150 offices throughout the United States and abroad. The Secret Service was established in 1865, solely to suppress the counterfeiting of U.S. currency. Today, the agency is mandated by Congress to carry out dual missions: protection of national and visiting foreign leaders, and criminal investigations.
The United States Secret Service is one of the most elite law enforcement organizations in the world. It has earned this reputation throughout more than 140 years of unparalleled service to the nation. As one of the oldest federal law enforcement agencies in the country, the Secret Service has dual missions that include investigations as well as protection. These are the unique characteristics that distinguish the Secret Service from other law enforcement organizations. During the course of their careers, special agents carry out assignments in both of these areas and must be available to be assigned to duty stations anywhere in the world.
Since its inception in 1865, the Secret Service has been involved in protecting the integrity of the nation's financial systems. Recent advances in technology have changed the nature of financial transactions throughout the world. Consequently, the Secret Service's investigative responsibilities have increased significantly. The Secret Service has jurisdiction in the United States for investigations involving the counterfeiting of U.S. and foreign obligations and securities. This authority has expanded to include the investigation of financial institution fraud, access device fraud, computer crimes, fraudulent government and commercial securities, fictitious financial instruments, telecommunications fraud, false identification and identity theft.
In the years since the Secret Service's protective mission was first mandated in 1901, the agency's jurisdiction has expanded over time and currently includes protection for the following:
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The president, the vice president, (or other individuals next in order of succession to the Office of the President), the president-elect and vice president-elect
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The immediate families of the above individuals
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Former presidents, their spouses for their lifetimes, except when the spouse remarries. In 1997, congressional legislation became effective limiting Secret Service protection to former presidents for a period of not more than 10 years from the date the former president leaves office.
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Children of former presidents until age 16
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Visiting heads of foreign states or governments and their spouses traveling with them, other distinguished foreign visitors to the United States, and official representatives of the United States performing special missions abroad
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Major presidential and vice presidential candidates, and their spouses within 120 days of a general presidential election
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Other individuals as designated per Executive Order of the President
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National Special Security Events, when designated as such by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security
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