Department of Homeland Security: Difference between revisions

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Created page with "= Department of Homeland Security = The '''Department of Homeland Security (DHS)''' is a cabinet-level department of the United States federal government responsible for border security, immigration enforcement, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and disaster response. DHS was established in 2002 and became operational in 2003 following the September 11, 2001 attacks, consolidating multiple federal agencies under a single department focused on domestic security.<ref name=..."
 
 
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* [[Immigration Enforcement]]
* [[Immigration Enforcement]]
* [[U.S. Customs and Border Protection]]
* [[CBP]]
* [[Immigration and Customs Enforcement]]
* [[Immigration and Customs Enforcement]]
* [[United States Border Patrol]]
* [[Border Patrol]]
* [[Secure Fence Act of 2006]]
* [[Secure Fence Act of 2006]]
* [[Homeland Security Act of 2002]]
* [[Homeland Security Act of 2002]]


== References == <references />
== References == <references />

Latest revision as of 23:16, 30 December 2025

Department of Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is a cabinet-level department of the United States federal government responsible for border security, immigration enforcement, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and disaster response. DHS was established in 2002 and became operational in 2003 following the September 11, 2001 attacks, consolidating multiple federal agencies under a single department focused on domestic security.[1]

History

The Department of Homeland Security was created by the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which reorganized the federal government’s domestic security functions. The act merged 22 existing agencies into DHS, representing one of the largest federal reorganizations since the creation of the Department of Defense in 1947.[2]

DHS officially began operations on March 1, 2003. Its formation followed findings that intelligence, border enforcement, and emergency response responsibilities were fragmented across multiple agencies prior to 9/11.[3]

Mission and Responsibilities

DHS is tasked with safeguarding the United States against threats to national security while enforcing federal laws related to immigration, customs, and border control. Its core mission areas include:

  • Border security and immigration enforcement
  • Counterterrorism and threat prevention
  • Cybersecurity and infrastructure protection
  • Disaster preparedness and emergency response
  • Transportation and aviation security

These responsibilities are carried out through DHS component agencies operating under statutory and executive authority.[4]

Component Agencies

DHS oversees multiple operational agencies, including:

Many of these agencies were previously housed in the Department of Justice, Department of the Treasury, or Department of Transportation prior to DHS’s creation.[5]

Immigration and Border Enforcement

Immigration and border enforcement form a central pillar of DHS operations. CBP is responsible for enforcement at and between ports of entry, while ICE conducts interior immigration enforcement, detention, and removals. The United States Border Patrol operates as a uniformed enforcement arm within CBP.[6]

DHS also administers immigration detention facilities and contracts with state, local, and private entities to hold individuals pending immigration proceedings or removal.

DHS derives its authority from the Homeland Security Act of 2002, the Immigration and Nationality Act, and subsequent federal statutes and executive actions. The Secretary of Homeland Security is granted broad discretion over border enforcement, immigration enforcement priorities, and operational coordination among component agencies.[7]

Certain DHS authorities allow for waivers of federal laws in border infrastructure projects and expanded enforcement zones near U.S. borders.

Oversight and Criticism

DHS is subject to oversight by Congress, the DHS Office of Inspector General, and federal courts. The department has faced sustained criticism related to immigration enforcement practices, detention conditions, surveillance activities, use of force by component agencies, and transparency.[8]

Civil-rights organizations and journalists have also raised concerns about accountability mechanisms and the concentration of enforcement authority within DHS.

Relationship to Other Federal Agencies

DHS coordinates closely with the Department of Justice, Department of Defense, Department of State, and intelligence agencies. While DHS handles civil immigration enforcement, criminal immigration prosecutions remain under the Department of Justice through U.S. Attorneys and federal courts.[9]

See Also

== References ==

  1. ↑ [[1](https://www.dhs.gov/who-we-are) Who We Are], U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
  2. ↑ [[2](https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/house-bill/5005) Homeland Security Act of 2002], U.S. Congress.
  3. ↑ [[3](https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL31560) Department of Homeland Security: A Primer], Congressional Research Service.
  4. ↑ [[4](https://www.dhs.gov/mission) DHS Mission], U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
  5. ↑ [[5](https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R42138) DHS Organization and Management], Congressional Research Service.
  6. ↑ [[6](https://www.dhs.gov/topics/immigration-enforcement) Immigration Enforcement], U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
  7. ↑ [[7](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title6) Title 6, U.S. Code], U.S. Code.
  8. ↑ [[8](https://www.oig.dhs.gov/) DHS Office of Inspector General Reports], DHS OIG.
  9. ↑ [[9](https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R44614) DHS Coordination with DOJ], Congressional Research Service.
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