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63-829: The NAO was described as a clearinghouse for requests by law enforcement, border security, and other domestic homeland security agencies to access feeds from spy satellites that had collected data for mainly scientific and military uses in the past. The name of the agency had been described as "deceptive." Access to spy satellite surveillance tools allowed Homeland Security and law enforcement officials to see real-time, high-quality images. Which allowed them to identify gang safe houses, border smuggler staging areas, or even hideouts of would-be terrorists. The spy surveillance satellites were considered by military experts to be far more powerful than those that were currently available to civilian officials. They could take color photos, see through cloud cover and forest canopies, and used different parts of

126-680: A diploma mill in a small town in Wyoming . The department was blamed for up to $ 2 billion of waste and fraud after audits by the Government Accountability Office revealed widespread misuse of government credit cards by DHS employees, with purchases including beer brewing kits, $ 70,000 of plastic dog booties that were later deemed unusable, boats purchased at double the retail price (many of which later could not be found), and iPods ostensibly for use in "data storage". A 2015 inspection of IT infrastructure found that

189-495: A certified deaf interpreter and audio descriptions for viewers who are blind or have low vision. On March 1, 2004, the National Incident Management System (NIMS) was created. The stated purpose was to provide a consistent incident management approach for federal, state, local, and tribal governments. Under Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5, all federal departments were required to adopt

252-406: A new personnel system named MaxHR. The Washington Post said that the rules would allow DHS "to override any provision in a union contract by issuing a department-wide directive" and would make it "difficult, if not impossible, for unions to negotiate over arrangements for staffing, deployments, technology and other workplace matters". In August 2005, U.S. District judge Rosemary M. Collyer blocked

315-680: A result of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 , enacted in response to the September 11 attacks . With more than 240,000 employees, DHS is the third-largest Cabinet department, after the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs . Homeland security policy is coordinated at the White House by the Homeland Security Council . Other agencies with significant homeland security responsibilities include

378-506: A single headquarters complex at the St. Elizabeths Hospital campus in Anacostia , Southeast Washington, D.C. The move was championed by District of Columbia officials because of the positive economic impact it would have on historically depressed Anacostia. The move was criticized by historic preservationists , who claimed the revitalization plans would destroy dozens of historic buildings on

441-575: A single organization. The founding of the DHS marked a change in American thought towards threats. Introducing the term "homeland" centers attention on a population that needs to be protected not only against emergencies such as natural disasters but also against diffuse threats from individuals who are non-native to the United States. Prior to the signing of the bill, controversy about its adoption

504-462: A specific threat against the United States, can reach homeland security partners or the public quickly, thereby allowing recipients to implement necessary protective measures. Alerts are issued when there is specific and credible information of a terrorist threat against the United States. Alerts have two levels: elevated and imminent. An elevated alert is issued when there is credible information about an attack but only general information about timing or

567-519: A target. An Imminent Alert is issued when the threat is very specific and impending in the very near term. On March 12, 2002, the Homeland Security Advisory System , a color-coded terrorism risk advisory scale, was created as the result of a Presidential Directive to provide a "comprehensive and effective means to disseminate information regarding the risk of terrorist acts to Federal, State, and local authorities and to

630-705: A vote of 90–9, with one Senator not voting. It was signed into law by President George W. Bush in November 2002. HSA created the United States Department of Homeland Security and the new cabinet-level position of Secretary of Homeland Security . It is the largest federal government reorganization since the Department of Defense was created via the National Security Act of 1947 (as amended in 1949). It also includes many of

693-680: Is a Cabinet department composed of several different divisions that work to protect the United States from domestic and foreign terrorism. It was created as a response to the September 11 attacks in 2001. The Department of Homeland Security manages the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate. The directorate helps fulfill the Department's overarching goal: to keep America safe from terrorist attacks. The Department also works to enhance preparedness and response efforts and to integrate these efforts with prevention work. With

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756-405: Is necessary. The secretary will then authorize FEMA to task and deploy designated personnel from DHS components and other Federal Executive Agencies to respond to extraordinary disasters. The DHS National Cyber Security Division (NCSD) is responsible for the response system, risk management program, and requirements for cyber-security in the U.S. The division is home to US-CERT operations and

819-485: Is the foundation for many other establishments, including: The Homeland Security Act of 2002 documented under Public Law is divided into 17 titles that establishes the Department of Homeland Security and other purposes. Each title is broken down into several sections, summarized below. The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), formed November 25, 2002 through the Homeland Security Act,

882-499: The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Act of 2018 into law, which elevated the mission of the former DHS National Protection and Programs Directorate and established the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency . In fiscal year 2018, DHS was allocated a net discretionary budget of $ 47.716 billion. In 2021, the Department of Justice began carrying out an investigation into white supremacy and extremism in

945-572: The Federal Bureau of Investigation and assigns DHS only an analytical and advisory role in intelligence activities. Similarly, with Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP), which relates to the preparedness and response to serious incidents, the Act gave DHS broad responsibility to minimize damage but only limited authority to share information and to coordinate the development of private sector best practices . The Homeland Security Act of 2002

1008-605: The Federal Emergency Management Agency was absorbed into the DHS and in the fall of 2008 took over coordination of the campaign. The Ready Campaign and its Spanish-language version Listo.gov asks individuals to build an emergency supply kit, make a family emergency plan and be informed about the different types of emergencies that can occur and how to respond. The campaign messages have been promoted through television, radio, print, outdoor and web PSAs, as well as brochures, toll-free phone lines and

1071-425: The Homeland Security Act established the Department of Homeland Security to consolidate U.S. executive branch organizations related to "homeland security" into a single Cabinet agency. The Gilmore Commission , supported by much of Congress and John Bolton , helped to solidify further the need for the department. The DHS incorporated the following 22 agencies. According to political scientist Peter Andreas ,

1134-490: The Iraq War . One of the first announcements that garnered widespread public attention to this campaign was one by Tom Ridge in which he stated that in the case of a chemical attack, citizens should use duct tape and plastic sheeting to build a homemade bunker, or "sheltering in place" to protect themselves. As a result, the sales of duct tape skyrocketed, and DHS was criticized for being too alarmist . On March 1, 2003,

1197-868: The National Cyber Alert System . The DHS Science and Technology Directorate helps government and private end-users transition to new cyber-security capabilities. This directorate also funds the Cyber Security Research and Development Center, which identifies and prioritizes research and development for NCSD. The center works on the Internet's routing infrastructure (the SPRI program) and Domain Name System ( DNSSEC ), identity theft and other online criminal activity (ITTC), Internet traffic and networks research (PREDICT datasets and

1260-569: The U.S. Border Patrol , the U.S. Customs Service , and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service were consolidated into a new agency under DHS: U.S. Customs and Border Protection . The Federal Protective Service falls under the National Protection and Programs Directorate. The Department of Homeland Security is headed by the secretary of homeland security with the assistance of the deputy secretary . The department contains

1323-457: The American homeland – air, land, and sea. The top element, a dark blue sky, contains 22 stars representing the original 22 entities that have come together to form the department. The left shield element contains white mountains behind a green plain underneath a light blue sky. The right shield element contains four wave shapes representing the oceans alternating light and dark blue separated by white lines. - DHS June 6, 2003 Since its inception,

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1386-455: The American people". Many procedures at government facilities are tied into the alert level; for example a facility may search all entering vehicles when the alert is above a certain level. Since January 2003, it has been administered in coordination with DHS; it has also been the target of frequent jokes and ridicule on the part of the administration's detractors about its ineffectiveness. After resigning, Tom Ridge said he did not always agree with

1449-707: The DETER testbed), Department of Defense and HSARPA exercises (Livewire and Determined Promise), and wireless security in cooperation with Canada. On October 30, 2009, DHS opened the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center . The center brings together government organizations responsible for protecting computer networks and networked infrastructure. In January 2017, DHS officially designated state-run election systems as critical infrastructure. The designation made it easier for state and local election officials to get cybersecurity help from

1512-474: The DHS ranks. DHS also halted large-scale immigration raids at job sites, saying in October 2021 that the administration was planning "a new enforcement strategy to more effectively target employers who pay substandard wages and engage in exploitative labor practices." In 2023, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol began using an app which requires asylum seekers to submit biometric information before they enter

1575-547: The English and Spanish language websites Ready.gov and Listo.gov. The general campaign aims to reach all Americans, but targeted resources are also available via "Ready Business" for small- to medium-sized business and "Ready Kids" for parents and teachers of children ages 8–12. In 2015, the campaign also launched a series of PSAs to help the whole community, people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs prepare for emergencies, which included open captioning,

1638-486: The Homeland Security Act there are several provisions that identify the specific duties for the EP&;R Directorate. The Homeland Security Act contains several provisions that identify specific duties for the EP&R Directorate. Title V and Title II outline the way the department ensures that the use of intelligence and its own threat analysis of terrorist capabilities are intended to distribute funds to those areas where

1701-545: The NIMS and to use it in their individual domestic incident management and emergency prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation program and activities. In December 2005, the National Response Plan (NRP) was created, in an attempt to align federal coordination structures, capabilities, and resources into a unified, all-discipline, and all-hazards approach to domestic incident management. The NRP

1764-483: The Office will be to develop and coordinate the implementation of a comprehensive national strategy to secure the United States from terrorist threats or attacks. The Office will coordinate the executive branch's efforts to detect, prepare for, prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks within the United States. Ridge began his duties as OHS director on October 8, 2001. On November 25, 2002,

1827-640: The Ready Campaign, a national public service advertising (PSA) campaign to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies including natural and man-made disasters. With pro bono creative support from the Martin Agency of Richmond, Virginia , the campaign website "Ready.gov" and materials were conceived in March 2002 and launched in February 2003, just before the launch of

1890-637: The September 11 attacks made the proposed elimination of employee protections imperative. Congress ultimately passed the Homeland Security Act of 2002, and President Bush signed the bill into law on November 25, 2002. It was the largest U.S. government reorganization in the 50 years since the United States Department of Defense was created. Tom Ridge was named secretary on January 24, 2003, and began naming his chief deputies. DHS officially began operations on January 24, 2003, but most of

1953-770: The agency's internal inspector general found that pilot testing of the system had been performed using data on real people without required privacy safeguards in place. The system, in development at Lawrence Livermore and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory since 2003, has cost the agency $ 42 million to date. Controversy over the program is not new; in March 2007, the Government Accountability Office stated that "the ADVISE tool could misidentify or erroneously associate an individual with undesirable activity such as fraud , crime or terrorism." Homeland Security's Inspector General later said that ADVISE

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2016-454: The assistant to the president for homeland security. The seal was developed with input from senior DHS leadership, employees, and the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts. The Ad Council – which partners with DHS on its Ready.gov campaign – and the consulting company Landor Associates were responsible for graphic design and maintaining heraldic integrity. The seal is symbolic of the Department's mission – to prevent attacks and protect Americans – on

2079-451: The best interests" of the country for him to pursue the post. On January 11, 2005, President Bush nominated federal judge Michael Chertoff to succeed Ridge. Chertoff was confirmed on February 15, 2005, by a vote of 98–0 in the U.S. Senate and was sworn in the same day. In February 2005, DHS and the Office of Personnel Management issued rules relating to employee pay and discipline for

2142-432: The bill not solved by reorganization. These reflect compromises with other committees needed to secure passage, but the result is at times inconsistent or conflicting authorities. For example, the Act identifies the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) first responsibility as preventing terrorist attacks in the United States; but, the law's language makes clear that investigation and prosecution of terrorism remains with

2205-510: The biometric data of children under 14. Whereas the Department of Defense is charged with military actions abroad, the Department of Homeland Security works in the civilian sphere to protect the United States within, at, and outside its borders. Its stated goal is to prepare for, prevent, and respond to domestic emergencies, particularly terrorism. On March 1, 2003, DHS absorbed the U.S. Customs Service and Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and assumed its duties. In doing so, it divided

2268-664: The campus. Community activists criticized the plans because the facility would remain walled off and have little interaction with the surrounding area. In February 2015 the General Services Administration said that the site would open in 2021. DHS headquarters staff began moving to St. Elizabeths in April 2019 after the completion of the Center Building renovation. During a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on

2331-469: The components listed below. Passports for U.S. citizens are issued by the U.S. Department of State , not the Department of Homeland Security. Advisory groups: Other components: In an August 5, 2002, speech, President Bush said: "We are fighting ... to secure freedom in the homeland." Prior to the creation of DHS, U.S. Presidents had referred to the U.S. as "the nation" or "the republic" and to its internal policies as "domestic". Also unprecedented

2394-617: The country. In June 2024 John Boyd, the head of the DHS Office of Biometric Identity Management, announced at a conference that the agency "is looking into ways it might use facial recognition technology to track the identities of migrant children." According to Boyd, the initiative is intended to advance the development of facial recognition algorithms. A former DHS official said that every migrant processing center he visited engaged in biometric identity collection, and that children were not separated out during processing. DHS denied collecting

2457-643: The creation of DHS constituted the most significant government reorganization since the Cold War and the most substantial reorganization of federal agencies since the National Security Act of 1947 (which had placed the different military departments under a secretary of defense and created the National Security Council and Central Intelligence Agency ). Creation of DHS constitutes the most diverse merger ever of federal functions and responsibilities, incorporating 22 government agencies into

2520-399: The department has wasted roughly $ 15 billion in failed contracts (as of September 2008 ). In 2003, the department came under fire after the media revealed that Laura Callahan , Deputy Chief Information Officer at DHS with responsibilities for sensitive national security databases, had obtained her bachelor, masters, and doctorate computer science degrees through Hamilton University ,

2583-609: The department was running over a hundred computer systems whose owners were unknown, including Secret and Top Secret databases, many with out of date security or weak passwords. Basic security reviews were absent, and the department had apparently made deliberate attempts to delay publication of information about the flaws. On September 5, 2007, the Associated Press reported that the DHS had scrapped an anti-terrorism data mining tool called ADVISE (Analysis, Dissemination, Visualization, Insight and Semantic Enhancement) after

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2646-510: The department's 240,000 employees in the weeks leading up to the CRs." The uncertainty about funding hampers DHS's ability to pursue major projects and takes away attention and manpower from important priorities. Seventy percent of DHS employees are considered essential and are not furloughed during government shutdowns. Soon after formation, the department worked with the Ad Council to launch

2709-503: The department's component agencies were not transferred into the new department until March 1. After establishing the basic structure of DHS and working to integrate its components, Ridge announced his resignation on November 30, 2004, following the re-election of President Bush. Bush initially nominated former New York City Police Department commissioner Bernard Kerik as his successor, but on December 10, Kerik withdrew his nomination, citing personal reasons and saying it "would not be in

2772-466: The department's temporary headquarters had been in Washington, D.C.'s Nebraska Avenue Complex , a former naval facility. The 38-acre (15 ha) site, across from American University , has 32 buildings comprising 566,000 square feet (52,600 m ) of administrative space. In early 2007, the department submitted a $ 4.1 billion plan to Congress to consolidate its 60-plus Washington-area offices into

2835-510: The departments of Health and Human Services , Justice , and Energy . In response to the September 11 attacks , President George W. Bush announced the establishment of the Office of Homeland Security (OHS) to coordinate " homeland security " efforts. The office was headed by former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge , who assumed the title of Assistant to the President for Homeland Security. The official announcement states: The mission of

2898-460: The enforcement and services functions into two separate and new agencies: Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Citizenship and Immigration Services . The investigative divisions and intelligence gathering units of the INS and Customs Service were merged forming Homeland Security Investigations , the primary investigative arm of DHS. Additionally, the border enforcement functions of the INS, including

2961-725: The federal government. In October 2017, DHS convened a Government Coordinating Council (GCC) for the Election Infrastructure Subsection with representatives from various state and federal agencies such as the Election Assistance Commission and National Association of Secretaries of State . To date there have been seven confirmed secretaries of the Department of Homeland Security: The department has been dogged by persistent criticism over excessive bureaucracy , waste, ineffectiveness and lack of transparency. Congress estimates that

3024-410: The land, in the sea and in the air. In the center of the seal, a graphically styled white American eagle appears in a circular blue field. The eagle's outstretched wings break through an inner red ring into an outer white ring that contains the words "U.S. DEPARTMENT OF" in the top half and "HOMELAND SECURITY" in the bottom half in a circular placement. The eagle's wings break through the inner circle into

3087-590: The light spectrum to locate traces left by chemical weapons. However, the full capabilities of these systems are among the most carefully held governmental secrets. In October 2, 2007, the United States Congress had filed an injunction against the NAO, that ordered it not to begin operations, due to concerns about civil liberty issues. Some in Congress wanted to shut down the agency due to concerns that

3150-448: The name "MaxHR". In a February 2008 court filing, DHS said that it would no longer pursue the new rules, and that it would abide by the existing civil service labor-management procedures. A federal court issued an order closing the case. A 2017 memo by Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly directed DHS to disregard "age as a basis for determining when to collect biometrics." On November 16, 2018, President Donald Trump signed

3213-480: The new department its first funding. A major reason for the implementation of HSA is to ensure that the border function remains strong within the new Department. The Act is similar to the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) in reorganizing and centralizing Federal security functions to meet post–Cold War threats and challenges. Like IRTPA, there are some inherent contradictions in

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3276-606: The office. This United States government–related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . United States Department of Homeland Security The United States Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security , roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terrorism , border security , immigration and customs, cyber security , and disaster prevention and management. It began operations on March 1, 2003, after being formed as

3339-579: The organizations under which the powers of the USA PATRIOT Act are exercised. The new department assumed a large number of services, offices and other organizations previously conducted in other departments, such as the Customs Service , Coast Guard , and U.S. Secret Service . It superseded, but did not replace, the Office of Homeland Security , which retained an advisory role. The Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2004 provided

3402-512: The outer ring to suggest that the Department of Homeland Security will break through traditional bureaucracy and perform government functions differently. In the tradition of the Great Seal of the United States, the eagle's talon on the left holds an olive branch with 13 leaves and 13 seeds while the eagle's talon on the right grasps 13 arrows. Centered on the eagle's breast is a shield divided into three sections containing elements that represent

3465-402: The plan on the grounds that it did not ensure collective-bargaining rights for DHS employees. A federal appeals court ruled against DHS in 2006; pending a final resolution to the litigation, Congress's fiscal year 2008 appropriations bill for DHS provided no funding for the proposed new personnel system. DHS announced in early 2007 that it was retooling its pay and performance system and retiring

3528-402: The private sector. Homeland Security Act The Homeland Security Act (HSA) of 2002, ( Pub. L.   107–296 (text) (PDF) , 116  Stat.   2135 , enacted November 25, 2002 ) was introduced in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and subsequent mailings of anthrax spores. The HSA was cosponsored by 118 members of Congress. The act passed the U.S. Senate by

3591-438: The reauthorization of DHS, Deputy Secretary Elaine Duke said there is a weariness and anxiety within DHS about the repeated congressional efforts to agree to a long-term spending plan, which had resulted in several threats to shut down the federal government. "Shutdowns are disruptive", Duke said. She said the "repeated failure on a longtime spending plan resulting in short-term continuing resolutions (CRs) has caused "angst" among

3654-489: The satellites could be used to create a "Big Brother" in the sky directed at anyone's house, place of worship or school. The NAO's charter was signed in February 2008. On November 9, 2008, the Government Accountability Office released a recommendation that the NAO's role be more strictly defined. This might be seen as evidence that the aforementioned civil liberty issues have not been sufficiently addressed. In 2009 Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano terminated

3717-580: The threat level adjustments pushed by other government agencies. In January 2003, the office was merged into the Department of Homeland Security and the White House Homeland Security Council, both of which were created by the Homeland Security Act of 2002. The Homeland Security Council, similar in nature to the National Security Council, retains a policy coordination and advisory role and is led by

3780-703: Was built on the template of the NIMS. On January 22, 2008, the National Response Framework was published in the Federal Register as an updated replacement of the NRP, effective March 22, 2008. The Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act directs the DHS Secretary to designate employees from throughout the department to staff a Surge Capacity Force (SCF). During a declared disaster, the DHS Secretary will determine if SCF support

3843-749: Was focused on whether the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency should be incorporated in part or in whole (neither was included). The bill was also controversial for the presence of unrelated " riders ", as well as for eliminating certain union-friendly civil service and labor protections for department employees. Without these protections, employees could be expeditiously reassigned or dismissed on grounds of security, incompetence or insubordination, and DHS would not be required to notify their union representatives. The plan stripped 180,000 government employees of their union rights. In 2002, Bush officials argued that

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3906-429: Was poorly planned, time-consuming for analysts to use, and lacked adequate justifications. Fusion centers are terrorism prevention and response centers, many of which were created under a joint project between the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Justice 's Office of Justice Programs between 2003 and 2007. The fusion centers gather information from government sources as well as their partners in

3969-435: Was the use, from 2002, of the phrase "the homeland" by White House spokespeople. In 2011, the Department of Homeland Security phased out the old Homeland Security Advisory System, replacing it with a two-level National Terrorism Advisory System. The system has two types of advisories: alerts and bulletins. NTAS bulletins permit the secretary to communicate critical terrorism information that, while not necessarily indicative of

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