ATF, ICE to Sign Agreement on Firearms Trafficking at National Violent Crime and...

ATF, ICE to Sign Agreement on Firearms Trafficking at National Violent Crime
and Firearms Trafficking Summit

Officials from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will sign a memorandum of
understanding (MOU) formalizing a partnership to combat firearms trafficking
at the Violent Crime and Firearms Trafficking Summit in Albuquerque, N.M. The
two-day summit will feature U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) officials,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials, U.S. Attorneys, states
attorneys, local prosecutors and law enforcement executives discussing
national policy development and strategies to combat firearms trafficking and
violent crime.

Media are invited to attend the opening session Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 8
a.m. MDT and the separate signing event at 9:30 a.m. MDT. For media not able
to attend, a national news teleconference will be hosted at 10:15 a.m. MDT as
well.

WHO:David W. Ogden, Deputy Attorney General, DOJ
Kenneth E. Melson, Acting Director, ATF
Lanny A. Breuer, Assistant Attorney General, DOJ Criminal Division
John Morton, Assistant Secretary, ICE, DHS
H. Marshall Jarrett, Director, Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys

WHAT: Violent Crime and Firearms Trafficking Summit (Opening Session)
ATF, ICE MOU Signing Ceremony, Question and Answer Session

WHEN:Tuesday, June 30, 2009,
8:00 a.m. MDT - Opening Session
9:30 a.m. MDT - Signing Ceremony
10:15 a.m. MDT - National News Teleconference Begins
Conference Call-in #: 1-888-469-3045
(call will be moderated; media encouraged to dial-in up to 15 minutes in
advance)

WHERE: Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown Hotel
2600 Louisiana Blvd, NE
Albuquerque, N.M. 87110

Note: Media attending the opening session of the summit and/or the MOU signing
ceremony will need to present valid media credentials. Media should be set by
7:45 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom for the opening session and pre-set by 9:15
a.m. in Baldwin Room for the signing event. Any inquiries concerning DOJ
officials should be directed to the Office of Public Affairs at (202)
514-2007. Any inquiries concerning ICE Assistant Secretary Morton should be
directed to Leticia Zamarripa at (915) 726-8210. Inquiries concerning ATF
Director Melson or the Summit should be directed to John Hageman at (609)
743-2987.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is the federal
law enforcement agency charged with enforcing the two major laws enacted by
Congress to directly respond to firearms-related violence. ATF also regulates
the firearms and explosives industries to ensure compliance will all
applicable laws and regulations.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in 2003 as the
largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is
comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law
enforcement agency with broad responsibility for a number of key homeland
security priorities.

Contact: ATF PIO John Hageman at (609) 743-2987

/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- June 29/

SOURCE Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives