The threat level in the airline sector is High or Orange. Read more.
The Department of Homeland Security has a vital mission: to secure the nation from the many threats we face. This requires the dedication of more than 225,000 employees in jobs that range from aviation and border security to emergency response, from cybersecurity analyst to chemical facility inspector. Our duties are wide-ranging, but our goal is clear - keeping America safe.
Our mission gives us five main areas of responsibility:
In achieving these goals, we are continually strengthening our partnerships with communities, first responders, law enforcement and government agencies - at the state, local, tribal, federal and international levels. We are accelerating the deployment of science, technology, and innovation in order to make America more secure. And we are becoming leaner, smarter, and more efficient, ensuring that every security resource is used as effectively as possible.
Every day, the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security bring their range of backgrounds and experiences to the mission of securing America.
Protecting the American people from terrorist threats is our founding principle and our highest priority. This is an effort where everyone - families and communities, first responders, the private sector, state and local governments, as well as the federal government - has an important role to play. We will direct every resource available toward prevention and preparedness, and empower Americans to live in a constant state of readiness, not a constant state of fear.
Since January, we have forged new partnerships with our international allies to provide more tools in the fight against terrorism. We have dedicated new resources to detect threats at our transportation hubs and protect our critical infrastructure. And we are strengthening information-sharing efforts, working hand-in-hand with state, local and tribal law enforcement.
Learn more about recent counterterrorism efforts
Fulfilling our mission also means securing our borders - our Southern border, our Northern border, and our air and sea ports of entry, while also facilitating legitimate commerce. Every year, we apprehend and deport more than a million illegal immigrants, focusing on those with criminal records, and we are using technology, manpower and physical infrastructure to improve operational control of our borders. Recently, we announced a new initiative to strengthen security on the Southwest border to disrupt the drug, cash and weapon smuggling that is helping to fuel cartel violence in Mexico.
Learn more about recent border security efforts
The Department bears responsibility for facilitating legal immigration and naturalizing new Americans - as well as providing a range of other immigration services - while cracking down on those who violate our nation's laws. In recent months, we issued new guidance to our agents in the field to focus our energies on apprehending criminal illegal aliens and prosecuting employers who knowingly hire illegal workers. At the same time, we are committed to providing employers with the most up-to-date and effective resources to maintain a legal workforce through the expansion of the E-Verify program.
Learn more about recent immigration enforcement efforts
The Department plays a critical role in helping communities in all stages of a disaster - preparation, response and long term recovery. Empowering and educating communities and businesses through Ready.gov is one important approach. Since January, we also have taken the lead on coordinating the government's response to the H1N1 virus, and worked in close coordination with local authorities to respond to severe storms in Arkansas, Kentucky, and Missouri and flooding in North Dakota and Minnesota. And we've taken bold new steps to accelerate recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast region, streamlining decision-making and consolidating offices to eliminate redundancies.
Learn more about recent readiness, response, and recovery efforts
Six years on since the Department's creation, our goal is simple: one DHS, one enterprise, a shared vision, with integrated results-based operations. Through a consolidated headquarters, we are bringing 35 Washington, D.C.-area office locations together. We are implementing a series of wide-ranging efficiency initiatives that leverage the economies of scale in our Department in order to recover hundreds of millions of dollars and create a culture of responsibility and fiscal discipline.
Learn more about recent efforts to unify the Department of Homeland Security
Strong partnerships are the Department's most important asset in securing the nation. Strong partnerships at the state, local, tribal, federal and international levels mean that intelligence can be shared between appropriate law enforcement officials in a timely fashion, that nations with common interests can work together on common solutions, and that all parts of our society have a clear understanding of the role they can play in keeping America safe.
Learn more about recent partnership efforts
The Department can significantly magnify our capabilities by accelerating the entry of science- and technology-driven solutions into the marketplace. Combining the knowledge of the private sector, leading universities and expertise at our own laboratories allows us to speed the deployment of state-of-the-art systems to protect our citizens and our critical infrastructure from chemical, biological, explosive, and cyber attacks.
Learn more about recent science and technology efforts
Making the Department leaner, smarter and more efficient in everything we do will ensure that every resource is used as effectively as possible. This process will accelerate in coming years, for instance, as we move to a single headquarters on the St. Elizabeths campus, streamline our data and intranet operations, and better align our management and budget processes to our mission and responsibilities.
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