JRIMS Joint Statement Homeland Security

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was formed more than a decade ago with a very significant mission of safeguarding America's homeland from hazards, threats, and national disasters. This department conducts its mission through securing the country's borders, preventing terror attacks, and responding to incidents or threats to its citizens (Miller, n.d.). Generally, the most important roles of the Department of Homeland Security are to lead a concerted national effort in securing the United States and preserving the American way of life. The department was established in 2002 in reaction to the 9/11 terror attacks and has since developed a nationwide strategic plan for evaluating and updating its mission statement and effectiveness of operations. These plans can be updated and transformed to accomplish the needs of the Department for Homeland Security and the American people.

The Cybersecurity Act of 2012 and its revised version S.3414 addressed several cyber security needs, which have been often overlooked or opposed. The nation stands vulnerable to cyber-attacks, as everyday technology is revamped and upgraded, while laws to protect the nation creep slowly through Congress. Many politicians have argued that these bills have imposed too much regulation on the cyber world and therefor oppose it (CITATION NEEDED). Congress needs to pass laws and regulations if they wish to help protect the nation from the growing threat of cyber-attacks, which can easily cripple the United States from across the globe. The Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Report reveals that the threat of cybercrime is a growing concern.

The security of the United States and living without being under a constant threat should be very important to all citizens and those who visit this country. The research revealed some interesting facts, it is impossible to secure every commercial building, airport, bridge, bypass, and government building. One element of the security is that terrorists will not have the ability to attack every place in the United States. However, everything is a possible target and terrorists want to do as damage as possible and cause the greatest amount of disruption in our way of life as possible.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was constructed during the time of government reorganization and has become the largest restructured group in the American government in more than a half-century. The restructuring incorporated the association of constituents and agencies from diverse organizations to form an integrated section centered on homeland security. Statistically the DHS offered job opportunities by consuming roughly 240,000 citizens in 2015 only and spending nearly $61 billion. On account, the third largest agency in the Cabinet has spent $544 billion approximately on its programs since 2003 (Congressional Budget Office, 2012). Senate has given The Department of Homeland Security the responsibility of safeguarding the country.

The Homeland Security Act of 2002 is a far-reaching act of legislation that was created in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. The bill was sponsored by Richard Armey of Texas and received final congressional approval on November 19th, 2002, and signed into law by President George W. Bush on November 25th, 2002. The Homeland Security Act was one of the largest government responses to the terrorist attacks on 9/11, creating an entirely new department, the Department of Homeland Security under the Executive Branch. The Act also created hundreds of new positions within already existing government departments. The act has been amended a multitude of times since its original passage and over two different Presidential Administrations. Many citizens are still split on the decision whether or not the Homeland Security Act has helped make Americans safer, or if it was the beginning of many government intrusions of citizen’s privacy. Either way, it is an act of legislation that is here to stay, and as citizens it is important to understand it and how it affects the lives of American citizens.

As we move into the twenty-first century people are confronted with complicated and compromising matters affecting the intricately convoluted global system. New forms of aggression and threat are the faces that greet policy-makers as they spend many hours arranging ways to counter future attacks such as terrorism or massive drug trafficking across national borders. President George W. Bush has issued a mandate in an undertake to regain control over future acts of aggression such as terrorism in the United States; he issued the Executive Order of Homeland Security as that initial step.

The Quadrennial Homeland Security review suggest six strategic challenges that will drive the overall risk to the nation over the next five years. These six risks include: the terrorist threat; growing cyber threats; biological concerns; nuclear terrorism; transnational criminal organizations; and natural hazards (DHS, 2014). The terrorists threat is, arguably, the most publicized and popular of the six risks the DHS lists. The particular risk is unique in the fact that although it can be planned for and mitigated against by state and local governments, it is primarily a federal responsibility, or at least perceived so by most entities. The DHS itself was established due to the events of September 11th 2001 and it has since been a consistent

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a proposed rule, on December 30, 2015, entitled "Retention of EB1, EB2, and EB3 Immigrant Workers and Program Improvements Affecting High-Skilled Nonimmigrant Workers." Included in the proposed rule is the long-awaited provision for the ability to obtain an employment authorization document (EAD) based on an approved form I-140, employer petition. Unfortunately, eligibility for this immigration benefit under the proposal is highly restrictive and therefore will aid a far narrower group of foreign national workers than had been hoped.

The recommendations include risk assessments to ensure that efforts are carried out to improve security and security data management to ensure that data is properly handled and disseminated to appropriate agencies and stakeholders. MTS must ensure that all U.S. personnel in domestic and international ports are appropriately trained for their job function. Along with all personnel working at ports, related infrastructure sectors, on vessels, or operating vessels must have proper identification. DHS further recommends developing more advanced security technology to enhance and identify gaps in security. It is also suggested that MTS examine industry, national and international transportation safety frameworks to determine if enhancements would improve MTS security. Furthermore MTS should create and manage a collaborative system of stakeholders to maintain security as well as make efforts to lessen security vulnerabilities. Finally, MTS must constantly amend and improve the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 and the International Ship and Port Facility

Cebula defines “sanctuary cities” as cities, “…that enact statutes not requiring public officials, especially police, to report suspected undocumented immigrants to federal officials.” Cebula explains that sanctuary cities, “…afford greater personal freedom for undocumented immigrants because they can experience a significant degree of protection from being detained, incarcerated, processed, and potentially then deported.” President Trump’s Executive Order 13768 seeks to bring an end to sanctuary cities by cutting federal grant money to those cities unless they work together with ICE and comply with their detainer requests. Further, President Trump has enabled ICE to deport more immigrants by increasing the Department of Homeland Security’s

Fisher (2004) divides the Homeland Security Assessment into eight easy to follow steps that must be followed in order to ensure an easy understanding and flow. These eight steps include complete the organizational overview, read Baldrige criteria, review questions, zero-based and world class, make interview notes, list comments for strengths and improvement, list homeland security strategic planning issues, and score assessment items (Fisher, 2004).

Under the Constitution of the United States has mandated the government to protect the United States of America from any threat, foreign and domestic. The government must deter and prevent attacks on our homeland and as well as deter and threats from potentially occurring. Following 9/11, the Department of Defense has been entrusted with the role in the management of risks facing the United Sates.

The defense, security, and safety American citizens enjoy each and every day is a result of dedicated professionals committed to Homeland Security and Homeland Defense. These broad initiatives require well-defined missions, organized and focused tasking, and finally, clearly understood duties, responsibilities, and operations. Organizations charged with these responsibilities must be better resourced than those of the enemy. Success in each of these objectives requires a well-organized infrastructure with clear mission sets. The afore mentioned areas of responsibility, related planning, and resource/personnel management are fluid (rightfully so) and are constantly reevaluated, restructured, and/or reinforced to best counterattack our Nation’s vulnerabilities before they become casualties.

Homeland Security was created by President George W. Bush as a counter defense to the tragic September 11 attacks. It is the third largest cabinet department after the Department of Veteran Affairs and Defense. The department was official formed on November 25, 2002 around almost a year after the actual attacks. Its primary function was to protect the United States and its territories from natural disasters, man-made accidents, and most importantly terrorist’s attacks. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 created the Department of Homeland Security after the mailing of the anthrax spores. By establishing the Homeland Security Act of 2002, it consolidated U.S. executive branch organizations related to “homeland security” into a single cabinet agency. In March 2002, the department created the Homeland Security Advisory System. This system was a color coded

Although JTTFs primarily deal with terrorism, their role transcends into other criminal cases related to various aspects of the counterterrorism mission. Both JTTFs and Fusion Centers share their information, and disseminate their collected intelligence to appropriate law enforcement and homeland security agencies. Both work with Federal, State, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT), partners, to combat criminal activity and terrorism. As we discussed already in class, the sharing of gathered information is essential when it comes to stopping potential threats. When all the gathered information is compiled, we get a bigger more detailed picture, and can then use the information to effectively combat any terroristic