History and Summary of the Department of Homeland Security

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History and Summary of the Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security is a program that was created after the 9/11 attacks. The focus of the department was to protect the United States against terrorist attacks and to be able to respond in the event of an attack. The DHS became official in November 2002 when the Homeland Security Act was passed and signed by Congress. DHS consists of 5 departments that all ensure the safety of our country. Counterterrorism is the department that mainly focuses on preventing terrorism, preventing the use, possession, or transport of harmful chemicals, and enhancing the security in the United States. Activities included in counterterrorism include: aviation & security, chemical security, fraud & counterfeit, information sharing, infrastructure, law enforcement, and secure identification. Another department of the DHS is border security. Border Security secures and manages our borders by securing all points of entry via air, land, and sea. It also protects the trade and travel of all things leaving and coming into the U.S. Border security is also in charge of breaching international criminal and terrorist organizations. The next department is preparedness, response, and recovery. This department is effective during a terrorist attack or natural disaster. The preparedness, response, and recovery team work and fund other programs in an effort to respond to and help restore communities in devastating events. This department has been major in tragic situations like the earthquake in Haiti and the BP oil spill. Next is immigration whose job is to enforce and execute immigration laws. Activities and programs included in immigration focus on people moving into the U.S., becoming a citizen, and immigration enforcement. In 2010 Immigration and Customs Enforcement set a record for the removal of illegal aliens,

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