Role Of The Department Of Homeland Security Example For Students

Role Of The Department Of Homeland Security On September 11, 2011, the United States observed the tenth anniversary of the worst terrorist attacks in the history of the United States . The creation of many anti-terrorism organizations was a clear message that this threat is beyond a single military or intelligence capacity. Our citizens demanded a strong response that would prevent any future terrorist threat. President Bush created the Department of Homeland Security as the key agency responsible for all anti-terrorism activities to protect our homeland. Government officials and law makers introduced anti-terrorism laws and measures to allow key intelligence and counterterrorism agencies to protect us from terror. Outlining the role of the Department of Homeland Security depicts how this agency was able to coordinate multi agency work to achieve one common goal,; to protect American citizens. The DHS has played a valued role in protecting our nation against terrorism while engaging in a joint agency task force to avoid any deficiencies or miscommunication that might allow terrorists the openings to attack us. The Department of Homeland Security made counterterrorism its first and ultimate goal by detecting explosives in public spaces and transportation networks, helping protect critical infrastructure and cyber networks from attack, detecting agents of biological warfare, and building information-sharing partnerships with state and local law enforcement that can enable law enforcement to mitigate threats (dhs.gov, 2012). Prior September 11 attacks, United States’ citizens thought of terrorism as another act of extreme violence that police work had to deal with without having to engage too many resources or departments within our intelligence community. After Bin Laden declared war against our values, freedom, peace, and liberties, terrorism became a priority on the agenda of our politicians who knew, through experience , how dangerous it is to tolerate terror even if it is thousands of miles away. The creation of the Department of Homeland Security was a result of the deficiencies and mistakes that did not prevent the multiple attacks that targeted the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the White House .â€Å"The President proposes to create a new Department of Homeland Security, the most significant transformation of the U. S. government in over half century, by largely transforming and realigning the current confusing patchwork of government activities into a single department, whose pri mary mission is to protect our homeland† (Falk Morgenstern, 2009, p. 27). The suffering and tragedies we observed prior to the terrorist attacks on 9/11 caused a new era that put security at the top of the agenda of every politician. They had no other options than supporting pro-security bills like the USA PATRIOT Act. â€Å"President George W. Bush is joined by House and Senate representatives as he signs H.R. 3199, USA Patriot Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005, Thursday, March 9, 2006 in the East Room of the White House (archives.gov). The Department of Homeland Security and other government agencies needed this kind of act to smoothly do its job in an aggressive way while maintaining most of our values. More security measures are as essential to our freedom as the values that our founders created to make us the greatest nation on earth. The cooperation of the DHS with multi agencies’ anti-terrorism units, especially the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), was a clear message that this threat is beyond a single military or intelligence capacity. Eliminating Al-Qaeda and its cells has been a successful t, resulting in the killing of Osama Bin Laden and aborting many attempts to murder our citizens and to destroy our infrastructures. The Department of Homeland Security was specifically a result of the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The Department of Homeland Security states, Protecting the American people from terrorist threats is the founding purpose of the Department and our highest priority. The Department s efforts to battle terrorism, include detecting explosives in public spaces and transportation networks, helping protect critical infrastructure and cyber networks from attack, detecting agents of biological warfare, and building information-sharing partnerships with state and local law enforcement that can enable law enforcement to mitigate threats (DHS.gov). gand maro EssayProtecting our aviation represent one of the primary goals of the antiterrorism units of the DHS. The Federal Air Marshal, Securing Flight Program, Redress Control Numbers, and the Airline Security Screening are some of the primary goals since the September 11 terrorist attack that used planes to attack the World Trade Center. Another goal of the DHS is to secure America against any chemical threat. The Ammonium Nitrate Security Program and the Critical Infrastructure security are some of the chemical security priorities. The Department of Homeland Security also focuses on fraud and counterfeiting that engages the work of the Secret Service to prevent fraud. Information sharing is one of the main priorities that include other agencies in antiterrorism response activities to protect our homeland. The National Terrorism Advisory System, as well as the Protected Critical Infrastructure Information (PCII) Program, consists of two major programs interacting with multi-government agencies to shield us from terrorism. Protecting our infrastructure is a key antiterrorism tool that protects our water supplies, electricity, and communications from any attack. The U.S. Coast Guard, as well as other law enforcement branches, works hard to secure our ports and airports from any breach that can put in danger our security. Nuclear Security is one of the branches that protects our nation form attacks on nuclear facilities by using Layered Nuclear Defense, Nuclear Detection Equipment Performance, and the Nuclear Secur ity Capabilities Development (DHS.gov, 2012). I suggest more engagement of the Department of Homeland Security in foiling and halting terrorist threats. Closer cooperation with other agencies like the FBI can be helpful to better respond and eliminate any terrorist activities in our homeland. I would love to hear more positive news of the DHS antiterrorism units’ successes rather than FEMA and ICE deficiencies. More effort should be made by DHS officials to make sure people understand the importance of its mission to maintain safety and security instead of attacking screening procedures at airports. More collaboration and multiagency work create safer communities with more liberties and more security. Engaging more agencies in antiterrorism objectives must be a priority rather than an ambition. I believe that the Department of Homeland Security has been doing a great job and must be supported to continue its mandate to protect our country.