Posted by Secretary Janet Napolitano

Last February, President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Harper released the Beyond the Border declaration, articulating a shared vision in which our countries work together to address threats at the earliest point possible, while facilitating the legitimate movement of people, goods, and services across our shared border. 

With the announcement this week of the Beyond the Border Action Plan, the President and Prime Minister have outlined the specific steps necessary to achieve the security and economic competitiveness goals outlined in that shared vision.

The United States and Canada enjoy the largest bilateral trade and investment relationship in the world.  For decades Americans and Canadians have stood shoulder-to-shoulder protecting our shared values and interests, working together to counter transnational criminal organizations, secure our shared border, and promote economic growth. 

The Beyond the Border Action Plan builds on this foundation: to expand our economies, spur job growth, and enhance our shared security. For example, our countries will strengthen our global competitiveness by aligning and coordinating security systems for goods and cargo, expanding trusted trader programs, and decongesting key border crossings that add time and cost to production by developing joint facilities and programs to move inspections away from the border. 

Together with our Canadian partners, we will ensure greater security and efficiency for the legitimate movement of people, goods, and services between our two nations.  At the same time, we will continue to create jobs and promote economic growth while safeguarding the safety and security of both our countries, as we have done for decades as strong partners, friends, and neighbors.

Read more about the Beyond the Border Action Plan.

Posted by Secretary Janet Napolitano

Today, I had the opportunity to meet with business representatives at the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Paris.  We discussed security challenges impacting companies in the U.S. and France, and ways that the public and private sectors in both of our countries can continue to work together to address shared threats.

In today’s world, our systems of trade, travel, and communication are more connected than ever before, and the movement of people, goods, and ideas never stops.  While this creates tremendous opportunities, it also brings additional security challenges that require increased international collaboration.

We are working closely with businesses and associations, like AmCham, to strengthen the global travel and trade networks upon which our communities and economies rely.

For example, we are working with private sector partners domestically and internationally to strengthen cybersecurity and protect intellectual property rights.  In addition, just last month, we held the first joint table top exercise with our EU counterparts to enhance international collaboration on cyber incident response.
U.S.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) also works with our international partners to seize and destroy counterfeit goods, shut down websites that sell these goods, and dismantle transnational smuggling operations.  In fact, just a few days ago, on one of the busiest online shopping days of the year, ICE and our partners shut down 150 websites selling counterfeit goods.

At the heart of all our international efforts is a firm commitment to continue to build a more secure and resilient nation, while maintaining the open flow of commerce, travel, and ideas.  We are pleased to be working with our international counterparts, both within and outside of government, to improve security across global travel, commerce and cyberspace for the benefit of citizens around the world.

Read more about DHS' international efforts.

Posted by Commissioner Alan D. Bersin, U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of speaking to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s national security task force. Before I spoke, I listened with great interest to task force chairman and former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge emphasize that U.S. ports of entry must be where both security and prosperity thrive.

I could not agree more. In fact, from my view as commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, I see that our national security and economic security mission are more than complementary activities. Securing the nation's borders—land, air, and sea—while facilitating the flow of lawful people and goods entering the United States is vital to our homeland security, as well as our economic prosperity. And, over the past several years, we have deployed unprecedented levels of personnel, technology, and resources to enhancing both security and legal commerce at our nation’s borders.

As the global security and economic pictures have evolved in the post-9/11 world, so has our approach to border security. This new border paradigm has helped CBP refine our way of doing business by adding more time and space to our inspection process, and allowing us to identify dangerous people and goods at the earliest point possible.

Of course, this new border paradigm will not be fully embraced overnight. While we have made significant progress in the private commercial sector, we need to do more to encourage businesses and individuals to join these efforts. This week, I asked the U.S. Chamber to work with us on expanding trusted traveler and shipper programs and with building better, smarter borders that continue to strengthen security and expedite legal commerce.

Here’s the bargain: If you are a frequent international traveler or U.S. border crosser, or you are involved in importation into the U.S., we urge you to join one of our trusted traveler or shipper programs.  The more goods and people we encounter who participate in these programs, the more resources we can dedicate to those we know far less about. Participate because you want a safer border, or participate because you want your border experience to be faster and easier. Either way, we all win.

Posted by Chris Cummiskey, Deputy Under Secretary for Management

At the Department of Homeland Security, we are committed to ensuring that veterans play a vital role in the Department’s mission to protect our nation.

Recognizing the invaluable sacrifices that veterans make for their country, DHS has developed three strategic objectives to engage veterans in fulfilling our Department’s missions: (1) increasing veteran employment opportunities, (2) expanding contracting opportunities for veteran-owned businesses, and (3) enhancing veteran engagement within the Department.


Yesterday, in commemoration of Veterans Day and in support of our ongoing outreach to the veteran community, DHS opened its doors to representatives from Veteran Service Organizations as part of the Department’s sixth DHS for a Day program.


Participants learned about how their members can find jobs and contracting opportunities at DHS and get involved in community-based efforts such as FEMA’s Citizen Corps.

Following briefings by Department leadership, attendees toured DHS operations in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, including the U.S. Secret Service James J. Rowley Training Center for a demonstration of the Secret Service’s protective mission and efforts to combat financial and electronic crimes. Veteran participants also visited the Baltimore Inner Harbor to learn about the U.S. Coast Guard’s missions and obtained a first-hand experience onboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stratton—the newest National Security Cutter and part of the flagship class of the U.S. Coast Guard Fleet.

Through its DHS for a Day series, the Department is engaging with partners including the veteran community and the private sector to foster a greater understanding of DHS’s role in ensuring a safer, more secure and more resilient homeland.

In recognition of Veterans Day, we thank the men and women who serve us at home and abroad and honor those who have previously served.

Veterans looking for careers and contract opportunities can learn more on our DHS Veterans page.

By Warren Stern, Director of the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office

Last Thursday, I participated in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Domestic Nuclear Detection Office’s (DNDO) Industry Day for the Human Portable Tripwire (HPT) program – a kick-off event for DNDO’s “Commercial First” initiative, which focuses on leveraging private sector development of nuclear detection systems and solutions that meet government requirements. 

The HPT program is an effort to identify and develop more capable personal radiation detection devices – which help detect illicit radiological and nuclear weapons materials – and put them into the hands of more federal, state, and local law enforcement officials by integrating them into standard equipment. 

Through the “Commercial First” initiative, DNDO is working with the private sector to enhance existing radiation detection devices or develop new technologies that will meet the needs of federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. This approach will help streamline the Department’s acquisition processes for important security technologies, and play a large part in the broader DNDO acquisition and commercial engagement strategy.   DNDO is facilitating interaction between industry, stakeholders, and researchers to provide faster development and systems that are appropriate for end-users.   

At Industry Day, DNDO provided information to private sector participants about the requirements for commercially-developed technology solutions, so businesses can tailor their products and services for use by law enforcement officials.  Other DHS Components, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Coast Guard, and the Transportation Security Administration, as well as state and local organizations also discussed their operational needs for current and future radiation detection systems. 

I look forward to continued collaboration between DNDO, industry stakeholders, and state and local operators to create a safe, secure and resilient homeland.

Posted by Secretary Napolitano

Today, I am proud to join the American Hotel & Lodging Association and LodgeNet Interactive to unveil a new partnership that will significantly expand the “If You See Something, Say Something ™” campaign.

As part of this partnership, a 15 second public service announcement will begin airing on the “Welcome Channel” in nearly 1.2 million hotels rooms in more than 5,400 hotels in all 50 states. Its message is simple and clear: if you see something that doesn’t look right—an unattended bag or package, a person behaving in a suspicious manner, a vehicle that seems out of place—report it to the authorities. This private sector partnership is another example of how DHS and our nation’s hospitality industry are working together to protect our country, recognizing that security and economic prosperity often go hand-in-hand.

As I’ve said in the past, hometown security is the key to homeland security. Time and again, we have seen the value of public vigilance in thwarting terrorism and crime, including foiled plots against Times Square in May 2010, a Martin Luther King day parade route in Washington state last year, and more recently, at the Ft. Hood Army Base in Texas. Each of these plots could have ended differently—and tragically—had someone not reported suspicious activity to authorities.

Through efforts like “If You See Something, Say Something™”, we can engage all sectors of our community, including the millions of guests that stay at hotels each year, in our homeland security efforts. America’s hospitality industry is a vital engine for job growth and sustainment—and with partnerships like this it is also becoming an increasingly important partner in our nation’s security. Security is a shared responsibility and each of us has a role to play in helping to keep America safe.

You can learn more about the “If You See Something, Say Something™” campaign on our website.

Overall, DHS for a Day in Detroit provided our private sector partners with a glimpse of the work that DHS does every day to keep our nation’s borders and economy secure. However, security is a shared responsibility. Through sustained partnerships with the private sector we can keep our hometowns and our homeland safe.

Posted by Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary Janet Napolitano

Keeping our nation safe from evolving terrorist threats requires strong partnerships at all levels. Nowhere are those partnerships more important than with our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers who work on the frontlines every day to keep our cities and communities safe.

These courageous men and women, who put their lives on the line to protect others, must have the tools, training, and resources they need to do their jobs safely and effectively.

This week at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) General Assembly in Chicago, we each had an opportunity to reiterate our support for police officers and first responders across our country, many of whom are struggling to hire or retain personnel in the face of tough economic challenges.

As part of ongoing work to better understand and overcome current fiscal challenges, this week, the Justice Department's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) office released a new report on how the economic downturn has impacted police departments nationwide. According to the Department's research, we expect that, by the end of this year, nearly 12,000 police officers and sheriff's deputies will have been laid off. Already, law enforcement agencies nationwide currently have nearly 30,000 unfilled vacancies. And an estimated 28,000 more officers and deputies experienced week-long furloughs last year. In 25 years of collecting data, this is the first national decrease in law enforcement positions ever recorded.

There is great demand for existing federal fire fighter hiring funding.In FY10 alone there were $1.8 billion in applications for $420 million in SAFER funds.

Especially in these difficult economic times, the tough choices we are all facing should not come at the expense of public safety and national security. And, fortunately, they don't have to.

The American Jobs Act would provide $5 billion in assistance to states and local communities to create and save thousands of police and first responder jobs across the country. These funds would not only help to safeguard our national security and bolster public safety - they would strengthen our economy.

Passage of the American Jobs Act also would ensure that many of the critical partnerships we have established with local law enforcement can continue - and improve our ability to share information, to train frontline officers to recognize indicators of terrorism and crime, and to encouraging the public to be vigilant in reporting suspicious activity to appropriate authorities.

These steps provide a strong foundation for law enforcement at all levels to protect communities from terrorism and other threats. They also help us better understand the risks confronting the homeland while protecting the privacy rights and civil liberties of all Americans, and foster a strong relationship with the international community.

When it comes to advancing our public safety efforts, we simply can't afford to wait. We must take action now to combat the economic conditions that have affected - and, in some communities, devastated - law enforcement agencies nationwide. We urge Congress to pass the American Jobs Act so that we can protect the men and women on the frontlines who protect us and contribute to our nation's safety and security every day.