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Homeland Security

The model of Homeland Security embraces a singular definitive purpose, which is defending the United States of America from further terrorist attacks. The design and implementation of a national strategy includes the centralization of literally hundreds of thousands of personnel across a myriad of agencies, with separate organizational structures, communications technology, protocols, training, and mission requirements. This page also includes overall national security which encompasses diplomatic, economic, and political power and the profiles of women who have dedicated their lives and careers to the protection of the homeland and nation all over the globe.

Success is measured in the decentralized implementation of the strategy as a Brookings scholar noted, wherein the decisions made at the outer edges of activity, far from the nation's capital, are as crucial to the success as the decisions made at the center. Often these are the decisions that will confront law enforcement personnel and other first responders to a critical incident. Both disciplines require training to recognize and react to the different dimensions of a terrorist threat. Implementing the schema for interoperability between the tangible operational functions and resources may not be as difficult as designing a plan in which organizational cultures can coalesce.

Featured Women

Janice Ayala

Tracey Bardorf

Kimberlyn J. Bauhs

Donna A. Bucella

LuAnn Canipe

Deborah Determan

Sarah Dietch

Caitlin A. Durkovich

Elizabeth Edge

Cindy Farkus

Wendy H. Goggin

Dr. Huban Gowadig

Francine Kerner

Traci Lembke

Charlotte Hymas

Rosanne M. LeVitre

Megan H. Mack

Jenny Menna

Lisa Monaco

Rafaela Monchek

Janet Napolitano

Karen Neuman

Victoria Newhouse

Maria O'Connell

Dr. Kim O'Connor

Dr. Tara O'Toole

Maria M. Odom

Connie Patrick

Catrina Keenan

Lyn Rahilly

June Ryan

Phyllis Schneck

Radha Sekar

Suzanne Spaulding

Diana Sun

Cheri A. Tyner

Alyson Vert

Kimberly Walton

Karen Waters

Carla L. Provost

Cameron Quinn

Elizabeth Neumann

Claire M Grady

Jeanette Manfra

Christina Bobb

General Homeland Security Resources:

Visit here for the official website of the U.S Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The Department of Homeland Security offers the DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report, which is collected each business day as a summary of open-source published information concerning significant critical infrastructure issues.

The White House's efforts to promote Homeland Security are listed here including fact sheets, blog posts, strategies to combat terrorism, and relevant reports.

The full Homeland Security Act can be referenced here. A summary can of the Homeland Security Act can be found here along with summaries of other acts that were passed following September 11, 2001.

ANSER operates a federally funded research and development center on behalf of the DHS.

The Heritage Foundation provides insight and analysis into current homeland security strategy and practices.

The Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University provides expertise, analysis, and testimony on key homeland security issues, including numerous publications.

Many major news outlets have dedicated pages for homeland security reporting and analysis including the New York Times, ABC News, and NPR. Some sites are dedicated to homeland security news, such as Homeland Security Network and Homeland Security News Wire

The Select Committee on Homeland Security provides Congressional oversight for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It has six subcommittees dedicated to subsets in the Committee's jurisdiction.

Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR) outlines the strategic framework to guide the activities of participants in homeland security toward a common end. The most recent report was released in 2014.

National Infrastructure Protection Plan provides a framework, which integrates efforts to secure and enhance the safety of critical American infrastructure. The most recent report was released in 2013.

The Federation of American Scientists keeps an updated archive of Congressional Research Service Reports on Homeland Security.

The Homeland Security Digital Library (HSDL) is a collection of documents related to homeland security policy, strategy, and organizational management. The HSDL is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) releases reports and testimonies about homeland security issues.

Homeland Security Reports:

Remarks by Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson during the DHS 2015: The Secretary's Progress Report, along with accompanying presentation slides

Attacks on Federal Government 2001-2013 Threat Assessment Considerations. Report released in December 2015 by the National Threat Assessment Center.

National Counterintelligence Strategy of the United States of America 2016. Report released by the National Counterintelligence and Security Center.

Improving Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response: Best Practices and Recommendations for Integrating Law Enforcement, Fire, and EMS. Released by the InterAgency Board in September 2015.

Domestic Security Revisted (2016) is a report on the progress of US Intelligence and Law Enforcement Agencies in confronting domestic threats. This report was written to be accessible to domestic audiences.

National Preparedness Report (2016) from the Department of Homeland Security provides findings on the preparedness of all levels of government, private and nonprofit sectors, communities, and individuals for all types of disasters and emergencies.

Mass Victimization: Promising Avenues for Prevention (2015) focuses on identifying strategies that contribute to preventing incidents of targeted violence that result in mass casualty events.

The Islamic State's Acolytes and the Challenges They Pose to U.S. Law Enforcement (2016) from the Congressional Research Service

Promising Practices for Using Community Policing to Prevent Violent Extremism: How to Create and Implement a Community Outreach Program by the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security

Converts and Islamist Terrorism: An Introduction (2016) by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism

Terrorism Resources:

Preparing Your Home, Family, and Business for Terrorist Attacks, by US Representative Robert Pittenger is a beginner's handbook to preparing for terrorism.

Terrorism and other criminal activity in the homeland is often thwarted when suspicious activity is reported.

Any citizen can quickly learn how to report suspicious activity here using the DHS's instructions.
The DHS is running the If You See Something, Say Something campaign, which seeks to raise public awareness about indicators of terrorism and terrorism-related crime.

The Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) Initiative (NSI) is a joint collaborative effort by the DHS, the FBI, and state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement partners. This initiative provides law enforcement with another tool to help prevent terrorism and other related criminal activity. The NSI is a standardized process for identifying and reporting suspicious activity in jurisdictions across the country and also serves as the unified focal point for sharing SAR information.

The Terror Threat Snapshot is a monthly assessment of the growing threat that America faces from terrorist groups such as ISIS. New Snapshots are released here.

The 2015 report Domestic Terrorism: A National Assessment of State and Local Preparedness includes a net assessment of domestic terrorist threat, identification of promising anti-terrorist and counter-terrorist programs, and identification of programs to counter potential future threats.

To access resources about bomb threats:

Introductions to explosives can be found here and here.
TRIPwire (Technical Resource for Incicdent Prevention) is a collaborative information-sharing and resource portal for professionals that also has publicly accessible information for the community's education.

Cybersecurity Resources:

US-CERT offers a complete list of tips for non-technical computer users to handle common security issues.

Frank J. Cilluffo's, Director of the Homeland Security Policy Institute, released a statement on cyber threats from China, Russia, and Iran to the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security, March 20, 2013.

The Guide To Keeping Your Social Media Accounts Secure 2015 includes protective measures and account management directions for Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Youtube, Instagram, and Flickr.

LIFARS is a digital forensics and cybersecurity intelligence firm that offers solutions to cybersecurity issues. LIFARS also publishes articles about security alerts and breaches, information on how to improve personal and business cybersecurity, and cyberterrorism.

Border Security Resources:

The US Customs and Border Protection website offers a few handbooks and reports here.

The Homeland Security Advisory Council released the Interim Report of the CBP Integrity Advisory Panel in 2015, which assesses the US Custom and Border Protection's transparency, use of force, and efforts to combat corruption.

Border Security: Immigration Enforcement Between Ports of Entry is a report that analyzes trends in illegal border flows and the state of border security.

See here for President Obama's plan to handle immigration and border security.