A interior ministry (also called a ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement.
In some states, the interior ministry is entrusted with the functions of ensuring national security, immigration issues and protecting places of detention.
Structurally, a interior ministry is part of the highest bodies of executive power and reports directly to the head of government. In states with a federal structure, the ministry often has branches at the level of states or federal subjects.