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Homeland Security Advisory Council

The Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) leverages the experience, expertise, and national and global connections of the HSAC membership to provide the Secretary real-time, real-world, sensing and independent advice to support decision-making across the spectrum of homeland security operations.

The Homeland Security Advisory Council:

  • Provides organizationally independent advice and recommendations to the Secretary, including the creation and implementation of critical and actionable policies for the security of the homeland.
  • Conducts research and provides policy analysis and recommendations on a variety of security issues.
  • Evaluates the impact of security related public and private policies in an attempt to formulate prospective security policies.

About HSAC

The Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary on matters related to homeland security. The Council comprises leaders from state and local government, first responder communities, the private sector, and academia.

Learn more about HSAC: Homeland Security Advisory Council Archived Advisory Committees, Recommendations & Press Releases

HSAC Leadership

HSAC Membership

CBP Integrity Advisory Panel

In December 2014, Secretary Jeh Johnson directed his the Homeland Security Advisory Council to establish the CBP Integrity Advisory Panel to provide findings and recommendations on the best practices from federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement integrity leaders. The Advisory Panel will address topics such as the progress in response to Use of Force reviews, identifying the best practices on integrity incident prevention and transparency pertaining to incident response and discipline. The Panel will also address ways that CBP can develop an effective capability for investigating criminal misconduct by evaluating CBP’s efforts to become an intelligence-driven organization in the context of current labor and management constraints, and make recommendations for CBP to facilitate enhanced participation among law enforcement and intelligence agencies within an interagency task force environment.

Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Subcommittee

In September 2015, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson directed his Homeland Security Advisory Council to establish the Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Subcommittee to provide findings and recommendations for countering violent extremism. Building on the recommendations developed by the HSAC Foreign Fighter Task Force, the Subcommittee will address a number of issues, including identifying opportunities or platforms useful for the Department’s facilitation of public-private partnerships with both technology and philanthropic sectors, and the development of new networks and a framework for sustained dialogue and engagement with those partners to include non-governmental sectors. The Subcommittee will also consider strategies on how best to work with education and mental health professionals to help parents and schools understand how they can counter youth radicalization to violence, and how the Department can inspire peer-to-peer attempts to challenge violent extremism through public-private partnerships.

Cybersecurity Subcommittee

In August 2015, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson directed his Homeland Security Advisory Council to establish a Cybersecurity Subcommittee to develop recommendations on existing and emerging cybersecurity issues. The Subcommittee will identify the readiness of our lifeline sectors to meet the emerging cyber threat and provide recommendations for building cross-sector capabilities to rapidly restore critical functions and services following a cyber event. The Subcommittee will further, suggest efforts to strengthen the security and resilience of critical infrastructure, and look at how the Department can provide a more unified approach to support state, local, tribal, and territorial cybersecurity. The Cybersecurity Subcommittee will provide its findings and recommendations within 12 months of Secretary Johnson’s directive to establish the Subcommittee.

DHS Grant Review Task Force

In November 2014, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson directed his Homeland Security Advisory Council to form the DHS Grant Review Task Force in order to assess preparedness grant program effectiveness. The Task Force will be shifting the focus from how much funding needs to be provided in different areas, to a focus on what that funding should be used for. The Task Force will consider the National Preparedness Goal to address the outcomes that the grants process is intended to achieve, the mechanisms that are best suited to achieving the desired outcomes, as well as levels of approach.

Foreign Fighter Task Force

In October 2014, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson directed his Homeland Security Advisory Council to establish the Foreign Fighter Task Force. The Task Force will provide recommendations on the foreign fighter threat and its impact on our homeland security. The Task Force will further provide recommendations on averting individuals joining foreign fighter efforts abroad and preventing those returning from engaging in violence within their communities. The Foreign Fighter Task Force will provide its findings and recommendations on a standing basis.

Privatized Immigration Detention Facilities Subcommittee

The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Jeh Johnson, tasked the Homeland Security Advisory Council to establish a subcommittee entitled the Privatized Immigration Detention Facilities Subcommittee on August 26, 2016. The Subcommittee will provide findings and recommendations to the Homeland Security Advisory Council on the Department’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) current policy and practices concerning privatized immigration detention facilities and evaluate whether they should be eliminated.

Recommendations to the Secretary

Authorities

Past Meetings

Archived Meeting Minutes

Updates and Press Releases

If you have any problems accessing the files on this webpage please contact: hsac@hq.dhs.gov

Point of Contact:

Mike Miron, Director Homeland Security Advisory Council DHS Mailstop 0385 245 Murray Lane, SW Washington DC  20528-0385 hsac@hq.dhs.gov
Last Published Date: September 27, 2016

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