The Department Of Homeland Security

Later, the federal, state, and local government responses to disasters such as Hurricane Katrina expanded the concept of homeland security to include significant disasters, major public health emergencies, and other events that threaten the United States, its economy, the rule of law, and government operations (2). Homeland security is the combination of law enforcement, immigration, disaster relief, and terrorist activities within the United States’ borders. This would be based on the local agencies and civilian departments to safeguard the people from any threat within while being assisted by the government. In some aspects of terror attacks, there will be a combination of both homeland security and homeland defense. 9/11 is the perfect example as homeland security was responding to the local disasters and threats while the homeland defense, military, was deploying to get to the root of the threats. This is essential to the way homeland security operates because this will stop the attack on the nation’s soil before it reaches the borders and local government agencies are required. The biggest issue with the homeland security aspect is that the

No human life wants to deal with events such as; earthquakes, forest fires (West Coast), hurricanes, tornadoes, and terrorist like 9/11. To avoid these kinds of events is inevitable but, with the risk equation such as: R=f(C,V, T). These types of disasters can be contained and reduced by damages. Homeland security partners must provide and receive information and assessments on current and emerging risks in time to carry out their risk management responsibilities, while enjoying access to the data, tools, and expertise to make informed risk management decisions (Department of Homeland Security, 2010). Risk management plays a huge role all across America and is considered to be very important.

United State of America has the ability to protect themselves from the terrorist attacks and also natural disasters. The government has committed to provide essential protections against any types of hazards. According to my knowledge some types of natural disasters are not possible to prevent for Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Depending on current conditions, first priorities must have to secure people from the terrorists attack. Nowadays, terrorist attacks have power to destroy huge amount of people as well as country. DHS must have accurate plan to fight against terrorist. It is very responsible part to manage terrorist plan because the government cannot able to predict terrorist attack. It is significant for DHS to focus more in

Many different areas need consideration in the world of security. The first order of business is to understand the concept of homeland security. Homeland security can have different meaning depending on the approach and mindset of the author. The need to protect this nation continues to be a priority. Without security a terrorist can have the freedom to attack without being checked. Homeland security is the checks and balances needed for a nation to be free. What measures must be taken in order to provide homeland security?

The private sector plays a major role and has very serious responsibilities within the Homeland Security Enterprise (HSE), since it owns the vast majority of the national critical infrastructures and key resources (CIKR) (Business Executives for National Security, 2007). Moreover, the private sector is able to provide expertise and resources that are necessary to sustain some of the core capabilities, which will help the nation to accomplish the National Preparedness Goal (Department of Homeland Security, 2015). Therefore, the private sector plays a key role in prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery (DHS, 2015).

The Government Accountability Office has pointed out that the important practice of effective risk management is a challenge for the Congress and the administration. Risk management is a strategic process in helping policymakers to make decisions about assessing risk, and having limited allocating resources in taking action under conditions of uncertainty (GAO, 2008). However, with the policymakers recognizing the risk management, it helps them to make informed decisions, while Congress and the administration have charged federal agencies to use a risk-based move to prioritize resource investments. In addition, the federal agencies often do not have enough comprehensive risk management strategies that merge well with the program, budget, and investment decisions (GAO, 2008). Between combing the approach of risk management, the process of decision-making is very difficult for any organization. In addition, it has been reported that the GAO says it is particularly difficult for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to be given its diverse set of responsibilities. Homeland Security is responsible though for all hazards in the homeland security risk from natural disasters, industrial, and terrorist attacks. Experts have provided the history of natural disasters with the extensive historical data used to assess risks (GAO, 2008).

In the past sixteen years the United States has seen significant changes to the national policies that protect the population and its critical infrastructure. Two main agencies that arose from the 911 Attacks were the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Homeland Defense (HLD). These two agencies are responsible for protecting countless potential terrorist targets, millions of citizens, and the thousands of miles of U.S boarders. How can two government agencies protect so many assets? This paper will explore the two agencies and identify key roles, responsibilities, resources, and operations. It will highlight the efforts shared between the two agencies and provide the authors own definition of the DHS. Lastly, this paper will identify our nation’s critical infrastructure and how it intertwines with the DHS and HLD, by discussing the resources needed to operate successfully.

The Department of Homeland Security identifies that risk management could improve its activities of providing the people of America with a secure environment (Masse et al., 2007). Vulnerability influences the actions of the department in providing peace to the citizens of the country. The homeland security enterprises include all departments, units and groups of people that are interested in a peaceful and secure environment. While these units aim at achieving a common goal, their activities have not been consolidated at all making the achievement of their objectives much harder (Decker, 2001). The Department of Homeland Security plays a major part in nationwide activities such as monitoring the national boundaries and controlling the immigration of persons in the state. Regional and local roles are played family, community and regional enterprises where the department’s activities are limited to amendment of laws and supervision. The current state of national security and

Measuring homeland security risks is a demanding undertaking. This is directed to the nature of the risks and how each agency in the department handles the risks. Risk management is vital for homeland security leaders to highlight the contesting requirements and allow wide spread methods to measure performance and note progress. According to, (National Research Council, 2010), “The Secretary of Homeland Security has established the requirement for DHS to build and promote an integrated approach to homeland security risk management, working with partners across the homeland security enterprise.” Their responsibility in integrating risk management into a set of approaches is to develop safety, protection, and resilience throughout the country in attempts to counteract any risks or acts of terrorism. DHS was created for the people, and to protect and control the borders, enforce and manage immigration laws, assist in natural disasters, and provide support to the nation’s economic security.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Risk Management Fundamentals (2011) document provides extensive information on their process and components of risk management from the perspective of homeland security. The process, as identified on page 14 of the document, is very similar to many other processes in government and administration, but does provide a good foundation for how homeland security employs risk management.

The homeland security enterprise has progressed much in the past few decades, especially after the attack on September 11th. It has been necessary for the DHS to grow and adapt as new and more dangerous threats became known. However, as more threats are prevented successfully, newer and sometimes tougher challenges for the DHS arise. In an effort to pinpoint the most important things affecting the nation, strategic plans are used, sometimes in the form of multi-missions plans, in order to separate different jobs to focus on. Since it is the duty of homeland security to keep the American people safe, but also feel safe, it is important that the public remains confident in the DHS. It may be questioned, but the DHS has the capability to identify and handle future challenges that may arise. But, it cannot be at the expense of the American public’s civil liberties. It may be difficult to walk that fine line, but it is imperative that the DHS does in order to keep the country safe.

Homeland security is not constrained and controlled to terrorist incidents. Terrorism is one of many threats that put in danger the entire society.  Homeland security includes both natural disasters and man-made events. Therefore, the domain and area of homeland security must accommodate an

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States, a series of risk management evaluations were created by the US Federal Government to assess the future risks the homeland was going to face. When the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was officially created in 2002, more effective risk management assessments were re-designed to evaluate the past and present dangers, prevent them and respond successfully to more terrorist attacks. Since 2001 until 2007, a development of risk assessment has been divided in phases to be able to reach a better formula that would analyze the risk within the homeland security and provide the appropriate fund to homeland security enterprise.

The risk methodology formula is defined as a threat, vulnerability, and consequences in the asset process. The risk factors formula shows R= f (T*V*C) T= threat which shows the data as being detainee reporting and that is relevant investigations in creating a threat which an attack may occur at any time. V= vulnerability is considered probability of a terrorist attack within a certain target. C= consequences are terrorist attacks that would affect the national population, economic, and the infrastructure (CRS, 2007). The risk assessment of homeland security on the variables have to be weighed in the same, according to the data they receive through the local, and state, to provide the federal government that would allow it to contribute to the

Everything in life, at some point carries a certain level of risk based on a decision or choice made to meet a specific goal. Things taken for granted such as driving from one point to another or shopping at your local grocery store carry certain risk. The variables that affect the level of risk range from low to extreme. The issue with risk is there never is an absolute number of mitigating solutions that will neutralize risk 100% of the time. If something was essentially risk free, there would be no room for error or consequence. Unfortunately, the reality presented is not allowing for that level of perfection. Risk is weighed by the level of threats presented versus the consequences from choices made, level of vulnerability left to exploit from those threats and target acquisition and accessibility. This sounds complex but by the very definition, risk is the amount of gain obtained while accepting certain consequences that may pose a problem in success of a decision or choice. Strategic Planning, Resource allocation and Grant Funding, etc are all building blocks of Risk Management in the Homeland Security Enterprise. The Department of Homeland Security is a culmination of several agencies that work separately but have one common goal. The principles that bind the agencies together in the Homeland Security matriarch is unified in both agenda and response. It is a ladder for progression in action and leadership as threats and vulnerabilities present themselves that allow