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Homeland Security And Homeland Defense

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Many people think homeland security and homeland defense are the same thing, but that is incorrect. Both have played a role in keeping America safe, but after 9/11 that role expanded greatly. The U.S. was determined to prevent another catastrophic attack from unfolding while searching the globe for those responsible. In a world constantly evolving, our enemies and their tactics evolve with it. To effectively combat the incredible amount of threats America faces, many federal entities and mission objectives were created, which at first can be confusing to grasp. In this piece the following questions will be answered. What is homeland security and homeland defense and how do they relate? After the terror attacks against New York City took place, the Bush administration created the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and with it the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2006). According to the DHS the U.S. Commission on National Security in the 21st Century defines homeland security as, “the protection of the territory, critical infrastructures, and citizens of the United States by Federal, State, and local government entities from the threat or use of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, cyber, or conventional weapons by military or other means.” (2006, pg. 24). The five current primary missions of the DHS are preventing terrorism, securing borders, enforcing and administering immigration laws, securing cyberspace, and

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