The Department of Homeland Security was created on November 25, 2002, with the implementation of the Department of Homeland Security Act of 2002. Identify the five areas of responsibility of Homeland Security, then, in your own words, identify the Homeland Security agencies that are in charge of those mission areas, and explain those agencies’ missions and roles. Be sure to reference facts and evidence from Chapter 5 of your textbook in your explanation.
The five areas of responsibility of Homeland Security
Full Answer Section
- Responding to natural disasters: This includes providing assistance to people affected by hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters. The agencies responsible for this mission area are FEMA, the Coast Guard, and the U.S. military.
Here are some of the specific agencies and their missions and roles:
- CISA: CISA is responsible for protecting the nation's critical infrastructure from cyber threats. This includes protecting the power grid, telecommunications networks, and financial systems.
- FBI: The FBI is responsible for investigating all threats to the national security of the United States, including terrorism, espionage, and cybercrime.
- NCTC: The NCTC is responsible for collecting and analyzing intelligence related to terrorism. The NCTC then shares this intelligence with other agencies, such as the FBI and CISA, to help prevent terrorist attacks.
- CBP: CBP is responsible for securing the nation's borders. This includes preventing illegal immigration and drug trafficking, as well as protecting the country from weapons of mass destruction.
- ICE: ICE is responsible for enforcing immigration laws. This includes ensuring that people who are in the United States illegally are identified and deported.
- Department of Energy: The Department of Energy is responsible for protecting the nation's nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities.
- TSA: The TSA is responsible for security at airports and other transportation systems. This includes screening passengers and baggage for weapons and explosives.
- FEMA: FEMA is responsible for responding to natural disasters. This includes providing assistance to people affected by hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters.
Sample Answer
here are the five areas of responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS):
- Preventing terrorism: This includes protecting the nation from terrorist attacks, both foreign and domestic. The agencies responsible for this mission area are the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC).
- Securing the border: This includes preventing illegal immigration and drug trafficking, as well as protecting the country from weapons of mass destruction. The agencies responsible for this mission area are U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Coast Guard.
- Enforcing immigration laws: This includes ensuring that people who are in the United States illegally are identified and deported. The agencies responsible for this mission area are ICE and CBP.
- Protecting critical infrastructure: This includes protecting the nation's power grid, telecommunications networks, and other essential systems from attack. The agencies responsible for this mission area are CISA, the Department of Energy, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).