In the 20 years since it was established, DHS has become the largest federal law enforcement agency in the government, with more than 240,000 employeesmore than twice the size of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the lead department charged with law enforcement activities.13 DHSs budget has also more than doubled in size since its founding, from roughly $30 billion in fiscal year 2004 to more than $64 billion in FY 2018not counting disaster relief funds, which vary depending on emergencies that happen each year. Next, the report reimagines what it means to keep America secure in todays world and provides a new framework for rebalancing the departments focus toward new and emerging needs. While the Coast Guard plays an important role in maritime security and maritime law enforcement efforts, it is also responsible forand takes great pride insearch and rescue and disaster relief efforts. An organizational structure is the allocation of authority and responsibility within a company. Mr. Price has more than two decades of federal law enforcement experience. The current administration should evaluate how much of this realignment can be done within existing statutory functions and what requires congressional assistance and legislation. 714 0 obj <>stream Field offices that manage disaster response and recovery in disaster locations. endstream endobj startxref This includes border management issues, where the focus should be more on facilitating safe and secure travel and commerce to ensure that businesses get the goods and workers they need, visitors are able to travel safely and efficiently, and families can be reunited more quickly. Meanwhile, with few exceptions, DHS has not yet found its stride in the conduct of its core responsibilities. First, DHS should adopt a service-oriented approach to citizenship and immigration services that is welcoming to immigrants and the U.S. citizens and residents hoping to sponsor them. Alexandra Schmitt is a senior policy analyst on the National Security and International Policy team at the Center. Some believe that long-standing foundational problems have inhibited DHSs effectiveness as its missions and focus have expanded and morphed. FEMA declared an emergency and allowed Texans to apply for federal assistance for storm recovery,71 but a more proactive responsewith better cooperation at the state and local levelmight have prevented such severe destruction from occurring in the first place. It screens and vets travelers, interacts with asylum-seekers and aspiring citizens, provides emergency support during natural and human-made disasters, and performs certain law enforcement functionseach of which results in the collection and retention of information on U.S. persons. Threats from domestic violent extremism are rapidly growing in the United States and endanger our way of life, our values, and our democracy.52 CAP has called for a strong, coordinated response that marshals the weight of the federal government and uses the right tools, developed using fact-based evidence, to reduce the likelihood of violent attacks before they occur.53 While federal efforts to respond to domestic violent extremism primarily fall within the FBIs authority, and because there are strong arguments that some prevention efforts would be better housed in the departments of Education or Health and Human Services, there is no agency charged with taking the lead in countering disinformation, coordinating federal grantmaking programs to promote resilience (along with the DOJs Office of Justice Programs), and providing support for risk-based prevention responses. 696 0 obj <> endobj When disaster strikes, FEMA is oftenthough not often enoughthe nations first responder. 'A969'NrzNETKhTa>$d.S-p=Ri 8X.rb:N}xxKp oXugE25JjF1%H@3-h6L"NZ AP],z?\O8(Y(&yTQRfT1rE;A}2A^`u=1y C@ (:9JY`tf5/\b}A:UC#2["Zs(1g$xzc_{0SywMX! ^kkc`}mX_G+BL 70d:8Lx&}O{ oB7u~Sv This will also help reduce DHSs involvement in activities better left to other federal agencies that have more appropriate authorities, experience, and workforces, while ensuring that Americas security needs continue to be addressed by the federal government. The Department of Homeland Security should play an important role in addressing the challenges and threats of today and tomorrow, and it should do so in a way that upholds American ideals and provides value to those who live, study, work, travel, and seek shelter here. FEMA recently covered DHS logos on vehicles used for vaccine distribution after concerns that the urban community it was targeting would refuse services from the department.69. ICE, which views itself as essential law enforcement partners,79 enforces immigration laws and combats transnational crime, a mission that overlaps with that of the DOJ. U.S. As extreme weather events and changing environments become more common, DHS should quarterback incident response, leading coordination with state and local officials, leveraging its flexible and responsive capabilities, and drawing on capacity within other federal departments and agencies. DHS also plays a critical role in adjudicating immigration benefits and promoting naturalization, which are the primary functions of USCIS. Balancing these missions effectively ensures that the Coast Guard can play a vital role in combating terrorism and interdicting drug trafficking while also leading efforts to save people, as it did during the deadly hurricanes in 2017 in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.74. Critical Infrastructure Sectors. Since no part of Congress authorizes the entire departmentwide functions, DHSs appropriators have largely become the subcommittees of de facto jurisdiction over the department. The departments threat-oriented roles will, of course, remain, but this new framework will help DHS realign its focus and priorities on those areas where it can be maximally effective and provide value to the American people and those who live, study, work, travel, and seek safety here. Xs~_7^{$}UAe5u)haU8vP6179kqZ>95[6No4%OcE6:&v+ yz Refocusing DHSs immigration activities on the provision of services to facilitate admission, with enforcement that supports that objective, will pay dividends for America by promoting family unity rather than family separation; ensuring American employers can more easily access a global workforce; enhancing the United States influence by streamlining access to the country for tourists and visitors from around the world; and restoring our identity as a generous nation that keeps the door open to those fleeing harm in their home countries. DHS could have played a larger role in responding to the severe winter storms that crippled the electrical grid in Texas in early 2021. Homeland Security Investigations. These have included allegations of using department resources to target, discriminate against, and detain and deport immigrants of color.30 Despite the documented patterns of abuse, this has yet to be remedied by Congress.31 Other DHS components, such as HSI, have authorities that overlap with other federal investigative agenciesauthorities the department interprets very broadly. Contract Administration - Brian Bond, Director. DHS has an uneven role in communicating threat information to the public. Paul C. Light, The true size of government is nearing a record high, Brookings Institution, October 7, 2020, available at, Joshua Breisblatt, Spike in Corruption Followed Last Hiring Surge at CBP and ICE, Immigration Impact, April 25, 2017, available at, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, About CISA., To ensure the government does not inappropriately influence U.S. public opinion and discourse, Congress needs to strengthen its oversight and laws outlawing domestic government propaganda (currently articulated under the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2012). var subscribe = document.getElementById('enSubscribeFooter'); American Progress would like to acknowledge the many generous supporters who make our work possible. At the same time, DHS should step back from roles where it is neither needed nor best suited. For large organizations like the DHS, managing IT and finding ways for disparate systems to work together can be a complicated task; doing so while supporting government operations means that the stakes can be even higher and the consequences more widespread. if(subscribe.checkValidity()) { As the department expands what it means to keep the nation secure, DHS should reimagine its role in protecting personal information and privacy. DHS could also develop better warning and prediction systems that enable a more proactive federal response and assistance presence. { document.getElementById('search-form').focus(); }, 300);">, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-114hhrg99575/html/CHRG-114hhrg99575.htm, https://reason.com/2015/06/23/president-bush-was-right-before-he-was-w/, https://newrepublic.com/article/147099/dismantle-department-homeland-security, https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Future-of-DHS-Key-Findings-and-Recommendations.pdf, https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/19/politics/mayorkas-opening-statement-excerpts/index.html, https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/PA683.pdf, https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/department-homeland-security-needs-long-overdue-oversight, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/09/are-we-any-safer/492761/, 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https://americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/reports/2019/04/02/467776/building-meaningful-civil-rights-liberties-oversight-u-s-department-homeland-security/, Preventing a terrorist attack within the United States, Reducing the United States vulnerability to terrorism, Minimizing the damage and assisting in the recovery from terrorist attacks that do occur within the United States, Carrying out all functions of entities transferred to the department, including responding to natural and human-made disasters, Ensuring that missions related to homeland security are fulfilled, Ensuring that such activities do not affect the overall economic security of the United States, Monitoring connections between illegal drug trafficking and terrorism, U.S. House of Representatives, Making DHS More Efficient: Industry Recommendations to Improve Homeland Security, September 18, 2015, available at, See, for example, Matt Meyer, Why We Should Eliminate the Department of Homeland Security, Reason, June 23, 2015, available at, For example, Thomas Warrick and Caitlin Durkovich, Future of DHS Project: Key Findings and Recommendations (Washington: Atlantic Council, 2020) available at, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Mission, available at, CNN, Excerpts from Bidens DHS pick Alejandro Mayorkas opening statement, January 19, 2021, available at, David Rittgers, Abolish the Department of Homeland Security (Washington: Cato Institute, 2011), available at, U.S. House of Representatives, Making DHS More Efficient., See, for example, Meyer, Why We Should Eliminate the Department of Homeland Security; Ford, Dismantle the Department of Homeland Security., See, for example, Warrick and Durkovich, Future of DHS Project., Danyelle Solomon, Tom Jawetz, and Sanam Malik, The Negative Consequences of Entangling Local Policing and Immigration Enforcement (Washington: Center for American Progress, 2017), available at, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Creation of the Department of Homeland Security, available at, Harold C. Relyea, Homeland Security: Department Organization and ManagementImplementation Phase (Washington: Congressional Research Service, 2005), available at, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, About DHS, available at, Congressional Research Service, Trends in the Timing and Size of DHS Appropriations: In Brief (Washington: 2019), available at, Homeland Security Act of 2002, Public Law 296, 107th Congress, 2nd sess. From roles where it is neither needed nor best suited should step back from roles where it is neither nor! Senior policy analyst on the National Security and International policy team at the Center time, dhs has an role. Recovery in disaster locations federal law enforcement experience is neither needed nor suited. Be done within existing statutory functions and what requires congressional assistance and legislation adjudicating immigration benefits and promoting,! Time, dhs should step back from roles where it is neither nor. 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