ICE HSI Agent cheat sheet

Deductive validity: an argument is valid only if the conclusion cannot be false when the premises are true; validity is about form, soundness adds true premises.

Contrapositive equivalence: 'If P then Q' is logically identical to 'If not Q then not P'; the converse ('If Q then P') and inverse are not equivalent.

Necessary vs. sufficient: A is necessary for B when B cannot occur without A; A is sufficient for B when A guarantees B. Confusing the two is the most common flaw tested.

Ordering/sequencing setups: fix the most constrained element first, then propagate forced placements; a placement that forces a contradiction is eliminated without further testing.

Work-rate formula: combined rate = 1/t1 + 1/t2 = 1/together; for two workers, together = (t1 x t2)/(t1 + t2).

Percentage change = (new - old)/old x 100; successive percentage changes multiply, they do not add (a 20% rise then 20% fall nets -4%).

Weighted average = sum(value x weight)/sum(weights); mixture problems can be solved by alligation or by tracking the quantity of the pure component.

Correlation does not establish causation; alternative explanations include reverse causation, common cause, and selection effects.

Main-idea questions: the correct answer covers the whole passage; an answer true only of one paragraph is a supporting detail, not the main idea.

Inference items permit only what the text necessarily implies; outside knowledge, however true, is out of scope.

Tone and purpose vocabulary: neutral, critical, analytical, persuasive, descriptive; purpose verbs include to argue, to explain, to compare, to refute.

Scope errors: extreme qualifiers (all, never, only, must) usually overreach the passage; the passage's own hedge words (some, may, tends to) should be mirrored.

Active voice puts the actor before the verb and shortens sentences; passive voice is appropriate when the actor is unknown or irrelevant.

Parallel structure: items in a list or comparison must share grammatical form (all nouns, all gerunds, or all infinitives).

Dangling modifiers: an introductory phrase must describe the subject that immediately follows it.

Paragraph unity: one controlling idea per paragraph, stated in a topic sentence and supported by evidence before the transition to the next idea.

Priority ranking in a new scenario: imminent risk to life first, then preservation of evidence and scene integrity, then documentation, then administrative follow-up.

Escalation rule: act within your own authority; refer upward when a decision exceeds it, and document the referral rather than acting outside scope.

Least-intrusive-means principle: choose the option that resolves the issue with the smallest necessary intrusion consistent with the mission.

Options that hide the problem, shift blame, or delay an urgent safety matter are wrong regardless of how diplomatically written.

When two options are both defensible, prefer the one that is transparent, documented, and reviewable by a supervisor.

Report observable facts, not conclusions about motive or character; 'subject appeared agitated and spoke rapidly' beats 'subject was clearly lying'.

Consultation is not delegation of responsibility: seeking guidance does not transfer accountability for the final action taken.

Ethical dilemma test: would the decision survive disclosure to a supervisor, an inspector general, and a courtroom?

Chain of custody: every transfer of evidence records who had it, when, and why; an unbroken record is required for admissibility.

Search authority: consent must be voluntary and may be limited or withdrawn; a warrant must describe the place to be searched and items to be seized with particularity.

Exigent circumstances justifying warrantless entry are generally limited to imminent danger to life, hot pursuit, and imminent destruction of evidence.

Miranda custody test: custody plus interrogation; spontaneous statements not prompted by interrogation are not subject to suppression on that basis.

Interview sequence: separate witnesses before they compare accounts; open-ended prompts first, specific closed questions later, leading questions last or not at all.

Evidence integrity: photograph before moving, package separately by item, label with date/time/location/collector, and avoid handling that degrades trace evidence.

Probable cause is a totality-of-circumstances standard, a fair probability, not certainty and not a mere hunch.

Contemporaneous documentation: notes made at the time carry more weight than reconstructions and close the gap between observation and report.

Conflict de-escalation sequence: lower voice and pace, acknowledge the person's concern, state limits clearly, offer a legitimate choice where one exists.

Integrity rule: a single misstatement on official paperwork can end a career; correct errors proactively and in writing rather than letting them stand.

Reporting obligations: suspected misconduct by a colleague is reported through the designated channel, not traded as a favor or handled informally.

Confidentiality: information is shared on a need-to-know basis; discussing case details with uninvolved colleagues is a reportable breach.

Bias awareness: decisions must rest on articulable facts; a hunch that cannot be explained in behavioral terms is not a lawful basis for action.

Gift and gratuity rules: anything of value from a person with an interest in your official actions creates an appearance problem even when technically permitted.

Accountability language: own the error, state the corrective action, and give a timeline; deflecting to workload or colleagues erodes credibility.

Respectful confrontation: address the specific behavior, its impact, and the expected standard, in private first when circumstances allow.

Report structure: header identifiers, synopsis or summary, narrative in chronological order, evidence disposition, and disposition or referral.

Use first person, past tense, active voice, and plain wording; avoid jargon, acronyms without expansion, and editorializing adjectives.

Attribute every statement: distinguish what the writer observed, what a witness said, and what a record shows.

Precision in identifiers: full names, dates in a consistent format, exact times with time zone or 24-hour notation, and complete location descriptions.

Quote key statements verbatim in quotation marks; paraphrase the rest without altering meaning.

No conclusions of law or guilt in a factual report; state facts and let the disposition section carry the recommendation.

Numbers, amounts, and serial numbers are written in figures and verified twice; a transposed digit can invalidate a report.

Proofread for the three failure modes graders penalize: missing elements, chronology errors, and grammar or spelling slips.

STAR structure: Situation, Task, Action, Result; spend most of the answer on Action and close with a measurable Result.

Behavioral premise: past behavior predicts future behavior, so answers must cite a specific past event, not a hypothetical approach.

Use 'I' rather than 'we'; the panel scores individual contribution and cannot credit an unattributed team action.

Answer length target: roughly 90 to 120 seconds per question; a one-sentence answer reads as evasive and a five-minute answer reads as unfocused.

Prepare a bank of six to eight reusable incidents covering conflict, failure, ethics, teamwork, leadership, pressure, and a rule you enforced.

Failure questions require an owned mistake, the lesson learned, and evidence the lesson changed later behavior.

If a question is unclear, ask one clarifying question; guessing at the intent produces an off-target answer.

Composure signals: steady pace, complete sentences, no filler apologies, and a brief pause before answering are all scored positively.

Suitability review weighs the whole record: conduct, recency, frequency, severity, and evidence of rehabilitation, not a single isolated incident.

Disqualifying categories commonly include felony conviction, domestic violence conviction, and falsification of the application itself.

Financial review looks for patterns: delinquent accounts, judgments, and unpaid debts relative to income, plus unexplained affluence.

Drug history is assessed by substance, frequency, recency, and circumstances; experimental use long past is treated differently from recent or patterned use.

Polygraph and interview consistency: discrepancies between the questionnaire and the interview are explored, and admitted omissions weigh more than the underlying act.

Employment history: unexplained gaps, terminations for dishonesty, and repeated conflicts with supervisors are weighed more heavily than a single termination.

Records to assemble in advance: driving record, credit report, criminal history, employment verification, education transcripts, and military discharge documents.

Candor is the controlling variable: a disclosed adverse fact is usually survivable, a concealed one discovered later usually is not.