The Blog @ Homeland Security

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noreply@blogger.com (Homeland Security Blog Team) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 10:53:00 +0000

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Combating the Cartels

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 21:57:00 +0000

According to the National Drug Threat Assessment 2009, Mexican drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) represent the greatest organized crime threat to the United States today. They threaten our economy, our communities, our children - all for obvious reasons. Simply put, combating DTOs must be a priority in the overall fight against drugs. Today, the Department of Homeland Security finalized an important step as part of that effort.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic of Mexico (PGR) formalized a new agreement, called the Illegal Drug Program (IDP), today in El Paso to help halt the progress of DTOs. Under the new agreement, Mexican nationals (except those with dual citizenship or permanent resident of the U.S.) who smuggle drugs through El Paso ports of U.S. entry will now be sent back to Mexico where they will face prosecution and possible imprisonment in their home country.

ICE Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations Alonzon Peña said of the agreement, “The governments of Mexico and the U.S. both realize that it is vital to the national security of our respective nations and the health and well-being of our respective citizens, to dissuade and reduce the smuggling and trafficking of narcotics across our shared border.”

U.S. law enforcement agencies normally prosecute Mexican nationals caught trying to smuggle drugs into the U.S. Under the IDP, after the U.S. Attorney’s Office review of these cases, ICE will transfer these drug smugglers coming through El Paso back to Mexican authorities who will prosecute them.

The IDP extends the bilateral enforcement effort, which was initiated in Nogales, Ariz, in October 2009. As a result, two drug offenders were sentenced to 10-year prison terms.
The agreement is an example of the collaborative effort between the governments of Mexico and the U.S. as we work to stem the flow of drug smuggling and violence this crime brings along the southwest border.

Expanding the IDP along the El-Paso-Juarez border requires adding 23 special agents and three group supervisors to the region. These courageous men and women will be on the front lines working to bring an end to the terrible effects of the drug trade and the violence it brings.

The Nuclear Security Summit

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:30:00 +0000

On Monday and Tuesday, April 12-13, the Nuclear Security Summit will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The leaders of nearly 50 nations will participate in the Summit.

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano declared the Nuclear Security Summit a National Special Security Event (NSSE), which makes it the 37th NSSE held since the designation was established in 1998. When an event is designated as an NSSE, the United States Secret Service assumes its mandated role as the lead agency for the design and implementation of the operational security plan.

As with all NSSEs, the Secret Service relies on established relationships with public safety officials and law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal levels. The goal of the cooperating agencies is to provide a safe and secure environment for Secret Service protectees, other dignitaries, the event participants and the general public.

Read the transportation and security plan for the Nuclear Security Summit, including street closures and parking restrictions.

In addition to the Secret Service, a number of DHS agencies are involved in the planning process, including: the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the United States Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration. Other local, federal and military partners include:

Metropolitan Police Dept
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Aviation Administration
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
U.S. Capitol Police
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia
U.S. Park Police
National Park Service
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
U.S. Health and Human Services
U.S. Department of State
Joint Force HQ- National Capital Region
D.C. Office of the Mayor
D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency
D.C. Department of Transportation
D.C. Department of Public Works
D.C. Fire and EMS
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Fairfax County Government
Washington Convention Center

Open Government: The Plan

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:54:00 +0000

Today, in support of the President's Open Government Directive, the department is proud to unveil its Open Government Plan. We've worked over the past several months to draft a document that would not simply check a box or fulfill a requirement, but that would chart a clear course forward as we mature the department and work with our stakeholders and state, local, and tribal partners to develop the homeland security enterprise. The Open Government Initiative is critical as we work toward these goals, establishing a culture of transparency, public engagement, and active outreach on homeland security issues that directly affect the systems, infrastructure, and people we work to protect.

We focused on the four core principles behind the Open Government Initiative in drafting the plan:

Publishing government information online
Improving the quality of government information
Creating and institutionalizing a culture of open government
Enabling a policy framework for open government

The plan mandates a 15 percent reduction of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request backlogs per year at DHS - which we've already decreased by 81 percent over the past four years - to enhance transparency of departmental records and communications.

The plan recommends the expansion of "Virtual USA" - a DHS information-sharing initiative that links disparate tools and technologies to improve communication between first responders during emergencies.

The plan also highlights the Department's efforts to support fusion centers with state and local governments, critical assets in preventing crime and terrorism in communities across the country through two-way intelligence and information sharing between DHS and the rest of the federal government and our state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement partners.

The department also solicited and incorporated public feedback in drafting the plan. We plan to continue this method of public engagement as we develop other initiatives and tools. Look for new ways to engage with the Department in the coming months.

The full plan is available here.

"My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.”
- President Obama, 01/21/09

DHS Efficiency Review Turns One: TSA Takes Travel Savings to the Next Level

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:17:00 +0000

As we wrap up the anniversary week of DHS’ Efficiency Review, we want to spotlight one more DHS employee whose creativity has had a huge impact on our efforts to cut costs and foster a culture of fiscal responsibility at the Department.

Antonio “Tony” Machorro, who serves as the lead for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in implementing the Department-wide initiative of eliminating non-mission critical travel, is always searching for ways to reduce TSA’s travel costs.

Tony’s enthusiasm for finding efficiencies has resulted in a variety of creative ways to save money, including changes in travel for employees on temporary assignments, frequent outreach to employees about how to get the most out of their travel budgets, and even a new pilot program using non-refundable airfares for government travel.

This new pilot program is based on the idea that, when it comes to routine travel, the small number of cancellation or change fees that result from using less-expensive but non-refundable airfares would end up costing the government less than always buying more expensive but fully refundable airfares. Since December 2009, approximately 10 field airports have actively participated in the pilot program, buying non-refundable airfares for approximately fifty routine trips—and achieving a cost avoidance rate of approximately 53 percent.

As a result of this program and other changes, TSA was able to reduce the average employee trip cost in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2009 by 21% compared to the previous year. In fact, during fiscal year 2009, TSA reduced overall travel expenditures by $19 million over fiscal year 2008 expenditures.

As the second year of the Efficiency Review gets underway, Tony’s efforts will lead to even more ways to stretch TSA’s travel dollars – as will the commitment of employees across the Department to ensuring DHS is getting the most out of our resources to make DHS a leaner, smarter agency better equipped to protect the nation.

DHS Efficiency Review Turns One: DHS Director of Strategic Sourcing Pulls Triple Efficiency Duty

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:00:00 +0000

This week we’ve been talking about some of the innovative things DHS employees are doing to cut costs, save time, and change the way we do business as part of the Efficiency Review. The initiatives we’ve highlighted so far, along with every Efficiency Review initiative underway at the Department, share one trait: they have dedicated employees behind them.

Each of our 20 Department-wide initiatives has a technical lead who coordinates the nuts and bolts of the initiative to make sure it gets implemented correctly and stays on track. One such technical lead, Mike Smith, Director of Strategic Sourcing within the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, has been pulling triple duty for the Efficiency Review. Mike has served as the technical lead for three separate initiatives: maximizing the use of government office space for meetings and conferences in place of renting facilities, increasing usage of DHS-wide blanket purchase agreements for office supplies and converting printers, fax machines, copiers, and scanners into all-in-one machines as replacements are needed.

Under Mike’s leadership, these initiatives are already expected to avoid $7 million in anticipated costs. “I’ve found that when you give people freedom to make a difference along with management support, they will rise to the occasion,” said Mike. “I’ve been impressed and encouraged with the creativity and responsiveness to these initiatives across the Department..”

Through the facilities initiative, Mike has helped saved the Department money by helping DHS employees find federal facilities for meetings and events in place of commercial space. Mike has also helped the Department take advantage of lower prices for office supplies by leveraging the buying power of multiple offices. Finally, through the all-in-one machines initiative, Mike has helped DHS save on maintenance costs and energy, not to mention floor space, when machines that perform just one function wear out and need to be replaced

Smith has brought his considerable knowledge and experience to bear on these initiatives, shepherding them from initial concept to across-the-board implementation. His dedication to these common-sense changes has been critical to their success, and serves as a model for employees throughout DHS to ensure the Department makes the most out of every taxpayer dollar.

Advanced Imaging Technology - Yes, It's Worth It

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 14:08:00 +0000

Cross-posted from the TSA Blog

There's been a lot of public discussion about TSA's deployment of new screening technology known as AIT. Public discussion and debate is good, and we at TSA have worked hard to inform, educate and adjust our screening protocols in the interests of security, efficiency, safety and privacy. Our FY 2011 budget request includes $573 million to purchase 500 Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) units and to operationally staff, operate and maintain 1,000 units, which includes the 500 units we are deploying now. This is indeed an important investment decision and not something we take lightly. We don't take the threats we're facing lightly either.

We've greatly improved TSA's IED detection capabilities in bags through better technology and more rigorous training and testing of our officers. Getting to threats hidden on a body is more difficult, because of the limitations of metal detectors, and patting down everybody that comes through a checkpoint isn't an option anyone likes.

So starting in 2007, we began testing AIT at the Transportation Security Lab and TSA's own operational testing facility to study its capability to detect non-metallic items as well as metallic ones. Based on the success in the labs, we tested the units in the airport environment, where they proved effective in threat detection and they were accepted by passengers as a screening option. The airport testing also looked at throughput, staffing needs, real estate requirements, privacy protections, and reaffirmed all safety requirements were met for the public and our officers. We left no stone unturned.

All the work we have done in the past two years gives me confidence that this technology will significantly increase TSA's detection capability at the checkpoint. Using AIT, our officers are finding things like small packages of powder-based drugs hidden on the body. When I say small, I mean that one packet was smaller than a thumb print. We have also found small weapons made of composite, non-metallic materials.

Based on the intelligence reporting we see every day, this technology is absolutely essential to address the threat we see today. It can also be upgraded over time, either as the threats change or as the industry improves the threat detection software.

With our first 1,000 units we will be able to use AIT to screen over 60% of all air passengers each day. We take our responsibility to protect each and every traveler very seriously. We have used lessons learned from the past, and we deployed this technology only after we were fully confident it would work in an operational environment and after our acquisition process had undergone extensive reviews and approvals by DHS' Acquisition Review Board.

Which brings me back to the cost. At about 1.8 million passengers going through checkpoint screening a day - 650 million passengers a year - the annualized, full cost of purchasing, installing, staffing, operating, supporting, upgrading, and maintaining the first 1,000 units of this technology is about $1 per trip through the checkpoint.

Is it worth a dollar per passenger in the short term for increased long term security? You bet it is.

Gale Rossides is the Acting Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration

DHS Efficiency Review Turns One: USCIS Saves Employees’ Time and Taxpayers’ Dollars

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:22:00 +0000

As we mentioned earlier this week, in honor of the first anniversary of DHS’ Efficiency Review, we’re spotlighting DHS employees who have gone above and beyond to cut costs, streamline operations, and foster a culture of efficiency and fiscal responsibility at DHS.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS’) Office of Security and Integrity Chief Jan P. Lane and her team have done exactly that.

As part of the Efficiency Review, Jan and her team fundamentally changed the way they were conducting trainings and conferences for more than 10,470 USCICS employees around the country- saving time, reducing travel costs, and cutting back on training materials. By adopting new web-conferencing software, employees from across the country can participate and get the information they need to do their jobs whenever they need it- all while working from their own desks.

The USCIS Office of Security and Integrity estimates that they’ve avoided more than $600,000 as a result of deploying this new web conferencing tool. And when you consider the indirect or harder to measure savings, such as lost productivity due to travel days, coordinating travel, and conferences, the overall impact of this efficiency is even more impressive.

By using technology to streamline operations, save employees’ time and taxpayers’ money, and ensure that personnel receive the critical training information they need when they need it, Jan Lane and her team have put Efficiency Review into action.

DHS Efficiency Review Turns One: More than Spare Change

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 19:52:00 +0000

As we mentioned yesterday, in honor of the first anniversary of DHS’ Efficiency Review this week, we’re going to spotlight a few of the outstanding DHS employees making a big difference in changing the way we do business here at DHS.

Sometimes, it’s the simplest changes that make a big difference.

U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant Ryan Murphy recently came up with one such idea – an ingeniously simple energy-saving efficiency. Ryan realized that, by installing timers on vending machines to automatically turn them off at night when no one is using them, his base, Coast Guard Base Support Unit Honolulu, might lower its utility bills.

Ryan got the idea after examining sales records for each vending machine on the base and measuring their energy consumption over time. He found that several vending machines were consuming a great deal of power but had very low sales revenue. He also realized that the machines were not being used at night.

As a result, Ryan removed some machines from service, relocated others, and, using seed money from the Coast Guard’s Facility Energy Efficiency Funds, outfitted all remaining machines with inexpensive occupancy sensors that allow the machines to power down after hours. Additionally, because the machines would not be operating at night, he removed the lighting systems from the remaining machines, further reducing their daily energy consumption.

Sure enough, Murphy’s base now expects to lower its utility bills by $6,000 a year as a result of this clever innovation.

Sensible and easy-to-implement, Ryan’s efficiency is a great example of the many creative ways DHS employees are saving time and resources across the Department.

DHS Efficiency Review Turns One: CBP Employees Work Together to Save Millions

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 14:09:00 +0000

As we celebrate the first anniversary of DHS’ Efficiency Review this week, we’re going to spotlight a few of the many DHS employees who are using their creativity and experience every day to cut costs, streamline operations and promote greater accountability, transparency and customer satisfaction across the Department.

Robert Namejko and Richard Winkler of Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Administration and Judy Shetler and Dora Shomette of CBP’s Office of Internal Affairs are great examples of employees working together to make a difference. Together, these four employees identified millions of dollars in cost avoidances by lowering the costs of background investigations.

According to Dora, “there was a need to unify our background investigation contracts to ensure that all contractors were working from the same rules and regulations, and eliminate requirements that were no longer relevant or essential.”

By combining Dora and Judy’s security expertise with Robert and Richard’s experience with procurement issues, CBP was able to cut the costs of the contracts for background investigation services by almost $3.2 million in fiscal year 2010 while reducing the average required time to complete a case from 60 to 40 days.

As the second year of the Efficiency Review gets underway, we’re sure that CBP and DHS will identify even more efficiencies as a result of Dora, Judy, Robert and Richard’s continued efforts to seek innovative ways to make the most of taxpayer dollars.

E-Verify: Truth in Numbers

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:20:00 +0000

Recently, some media reports have used statistics that appear to call into question the effectiveness and accuracy of E-Verify. I’d like to set record straight. A report by the independent research firm Westat, using a sample from a three month period in 2008, concluded that E-Verify was accurate 96 percent of the time. Since then, the Obama administration has taken significant steps to further improve E-Verify.

Read the report for yourself here.

What else did this report tell us about E-Verify?

93.8 percent of workers screened by E-Verify were authorized for employment—and the system instantly and accurately confirmed more than 99 percent of these eligible workers.
The remaining 6.2 percent were not eligible for employment. Out of this estimated 6.2 percent, approximately half were told they are work authorized when they were not—just 3.3 percent of the overall population screened by E-Verify.
To be clear, this means that only an estimated 3.3 percent of all workers screened by E-Verify were incorrectly told they were work authorized.

The system’s accuracy and efficiency continues to improve, reflecting the changes and improvements to E-Verify that USCIS has made over the past year—and continues to make.

Our anti-fraud efforts are improving E-Verify’s ability to prevent illegal workers from using stolen identities to obtain employment—including a photograph screening capability that allows a participating employer to check if photos on Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) or Permanent Resident Cards (green cards) are exact matches with the images stored in USCIS databases.

USCIS is also planning additional enhancements to E-Verify that will further improve employer compliance, reduce fraud and increase efficiency. We are adding U.S. passports to the list of documents available to provide photo confirmation, and working with states to access state driver’s license data—the #1 document used to validate identity. We’re also planning to launch a pilot program to explore the use of biometric or biographic-based verification.

Employers at more than 600,000 worksites nationwide used E-Verify to check the work authorization status of more than 8.5 million workers during fiscal year 2009, and E-Verify has processed more than five million queries during the last five months alone.

Quite simply, E-Verify ensures a legal workforce while protecting the rights of employers and employees alike—accurately, easily and efficiently. It is critically important to a legal workforce and directly impacts national security and our economy. The ultimate success of E-Verify will rely on public-private cooperation, and we are committed to continuing to work with all of our partners to improve this tool.

Lauren Kielsmeier is the Acting Deputy Director and Chief of Staff for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

FLETC

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:20:00 +0000

Secretary Napolitano was in Glynco, Georgia today to visit the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). FLETC trains law enforcement agents and officers from dozens of federal, state, local, and tribal agencies, serving 88 federal entities and training tens of thousands of students - over 67,000 in fiscal year 2009 alone.

The Secretary also observed a flying-while-armed training demonstration while at the facility. The Tactics for Flying While Armed Training Program (TFATP) prepares officers and agents for a range of situations they may encounter while flying armed. Now, you've probably gathered what the program teaches, as the course name is pretty descriptive, but the real point is that we train more than Federal Air Marshals to help keep the skies safe. The program has trained more than 25,000 officers and agents since 2004.

During her remarks, the Secretary discussed the diverse training FLETC provides to law enforcement professionals throughout the world—using advanced technology, real-life simulations, research and instruction to provide the latest tools and skills to guard against terrorism and other threats, secure U.S. borders, protect the traveling public and build more ready and resilient communities.

Learn more about FLETC.

Secretary Napolitano Travels to Tokyo

noreply@blogger.com (Homeland Security Blog Team) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:06:00 +0000

Secretary Napolitano is in Tokyo to attend the Asia/Pacific Ministerial Conference of Aviation Security. The Asia/Pacific region is the world's largest aviation market-with approximately 647 million passengers
traveling in 2009 alone.

While there, she will meet with top officials from the Asia/Pacific region and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to discuss ways to bolster global aviation security-such as strengthening information sharing and enhancing international transportation security agreements.

At these meetings, she will emphasize our ongoing commitment to working with global partners to strengthen the security of the international aviation network and prevent terrorists from boarding commercial aircraft. Yesterday, Secretary Napolitano took a moment during her busy schedule to tour Tokyo's famous Hai Shrine.

Open for Questions: Aviation Security

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:03:00 +0000

We announced the other day that Secretary Napolitano would sit down for live Facebook chat on aviation security. The White House posted the video for those that missed the livestream. Check it out below.

Major General Robert A. Harding

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:46:00 +0000

Yesterday, Secretary Napolitano applauded President Obama's intent to nominate retired Major General Robert A. Harding as the new Assistant Secretary for the Transportation Security Administration. We've got the video for you below, and look forward to your comments.

Viewing this video requires the Flash 9 plugin.

REMINDER: Watch, Discuss, Engage: Secretary Napolitano Answers your Questions about Aviation Security

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:00:00 +0000

Join Secretary Janet Napolitano TODAY for a live Facebook chat – hosted by the White House – on aviation security. Secretary Napolitano is engaging with leaders around the world as part of a broad initiative to strengthen the international aviation system against the evolving threats posed by terrorists. We realize that the American public has questions about new screening measures and technology, and about how we’re working with our international partners to bolster security on flights coming to the United States from foreign countries.

Secretary Napolitano will answer your questions at 3:00 PM EST via the White House’s facebook chat application.

Watch the chat @ WhiteHouse.gov/live

Watch, discuss, and engage through Facebook

Kilo 11

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:01:00 +0000

Greetings from Phnom Penh, Cambodia

By any measure, Cambodia has come a long way in a relatively short period of time. Since its full independence in 1953, this nation of now 14 million has endured two distinct and lengthy conflicts, and dictatorial regime that – between 1976 and 1979 – annihilated at least 1.5 million Cambodians through execution, forced servitude, and malnourishment. Cambodia is a democracy today, but serious problems remain.

Child sex tourism in Cambodia is a persistent, pervasive practice that threatens the most vulnerable in this developing country. In recent years, the Cambodian National Police, international partners, and a number of non-governmental organizations have worked to crack down on pedophiles from around the world, arresting and prosecuting these criminals while working to rescue and rehabilitate the abused.

I am proud to say that the agency I lead, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is at the forefront of this emerging issue, and aggressively pursues Americans who travel overseas to abuse children. Millions of children fall prey each year to sexual predators, and these young victims are left with permanent psychological, physical, and emotional scars. Many American criminals clearly believe they can evade detection and prosecution by committing child sex crimes overseas. They are wrong.

My visit to Cambodia seeks to strengthen our ongoing cooperation with the Cambodian National Police. Earlier this week, we signed a Letter of Intent to solidify the working relationship between our two law enforcement agencies to combat child sex tourism. This agreement seeks to develop a bi-national, coordinated, and intelligence-driven investigative response to the sexual exploitation of children by U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.

There is no more poignant reminder of the critical nature of these investigations than a neighborhood outside Phnom Penh, known simply by its distance from the center of town – “Kilo 11.” There, predators from around the world prey on young boys and girls amidst the shocking poverty of a Cambodian slum. Accompanied by our Cambodian Police partners, we walked down narrow streets and dark alleys where we saw firsthand the extreme circumstances that lead some families to sell their children to these criminals – many of them from Western nations. Not long ago, ICE agents assisted in arresting an American man for abusing a six-year-old child in a ramshackle blue hut, set deep in this labyrinthine neighborhood. This individual was eventually returned to the United States and is currently standing trial for charges stemming from his arrest in Cambodia.

These types of cases are extremely challenging to investigate and prosecute, but we owe it to these young victims to take action. Tragically, many of these children will bear the emotional and physical scars of this trauma for the rest of their lives.

The United States would not be able to successfully prosecute these cases without the assistance of our international partners.

John Morton is the Assistant Secretary U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Talking about Cybersecurity

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:59:00 +0000

We've talked a lot about cybersecurity on the blog, particularly last October during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The threats to our cyber networks and infrastructure (read: computers) are relevant for everyone - whether you're writing an email, checking your bank account online, helping your child sign up for a Facebook account, or reading this blog. The Department is charged with protecting the .gov domain and works closely with our private sector partners to defend the .com domain from all cyber terrorism and criminal threats - and we need your help.

The Secretary just launched the DHS National Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign Challenge, a call to individual citizens, stakeholders and the brightest in the business alike, asking for ideas to help promote public awareness about cybersecurity and cyber literacy. Proposals must be submitted by April 30 via www.dhs.gov/cyberchallenge, and winners will collaborate with the Department to develop and launch the National Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign. The Secretary announced the challenge at RSA conference in San Francisco, a gathering designed to offer "information security professionals around the world an unparalleled opportunity for networking and knowledge-sharing."

“All Americans have an important role to play in securing our computer systems and cyber networks,” said Secretary Napolitano. “We are challenging our nation’s best and brightest to utilize their expertise and creativity to devise new ways to engage the public in the shared responsibility of safeguarding our cyber resources and information.”

Check out all the challenge details and rules at www.dhs.gov/cyberchallenge, and start working on your idea.

Morning Roundup - March 1st

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:45:00 +0000

From Tulsa World, on the balance between security and privacy:

How does a country that offers its citizens more freedom than any other country in the world track and defeat domestic terrorists without trampling all over the rights of its citizens?
And how can Americans who are afforded such precious rights turn against the country that protects them and their rights?
How could a person betray his country and his family?
Those are difficult questions and ones that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security face. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano recently told the nation's governors that homegrown terrorists are becoming as big a concern as international terrorists.
She also said that the government does not have a good handle on how to prevent someone from becoming a violent extremist.
Prevention by the government is a difficult if not impossible task. The best deterrent is education and family upbringing. But young people have become radicalized for as long as there have been young people. Most grow out of it or channel their energies in peaceful manners.
But there will always be an element that becomes violent. And there is not much chance of stopping that. Thwarting that element is difficult because of the freedom that Americans enjoy. We have access to travel and free speech and religion that many countries don't have. If citizens want to travel to Yemen or Pakistan they are relatively free to do so.
What they do while in a foreign country is their own business as a U.S. citizen.
As long as they remain a citizen, they can return to this country.

From the Associated Press, on Saturday's earthquake in Chile:

The U.S. "will be there" if Chile asks for rescue and recovery help after a powerful earthquake struck the South American nation, President Barack Obama said Saturday.
He also warned people in Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and the West Coast to heed the instructions of local authorities about evacuations and other measures in advance of a tsunami moving across the Pacific Ocean.
"We can't control nature, but we can and must be prepared for disaster when it strikes," he said in a statement at the White House.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning - its highest alert - for Hawaii. The first waves were expected to arrive in Hawaii late afternoon EST. A lower-grade tsunami advisory was in effect for the coast of California and an Alaskan coastal area.
Before he spoke, Obama had a 20-minute conference call with staff and Cabinet members who updated him on conditions in Chile and on the tsunami. Participants included Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.
"The United States stands ready to assist in the rescue and recovery efforts and we have resources that are positioned to deploy should the Chilean government ask for our help," Obama said. Chile's president, Michelle Bachelet, said her government has not asked for assistance from other countries.

From the Dallas Morning News, on an ICE sweep in the southwest:

The nation's top immigration cop said Friday that the Obama administration is stepping up enforcement against immigrants who commit crimes and will move aggressively against employers who hire unauthorized labor.
John Morton, U.S. assistant secretary of homeland security, said Friday that a three-day sweep in Texas netted 284 illegal immigrants with criminal convictions.
This week, 284 illegal immigrants with criminal convictions were arrested in Texas in a three-day operation involving multiple law enforcement agencies, said John Morton, the assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Of the total, 159 had convictions for violent crimes or serious drug offenses and about 119 were from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. About 80 arrests were made in San Antonio.
"These are not people we want walking our streets in Texas," Morton said at news conference in Dallas. "First and foremost, we are going to focus on criminal offenders."
But the enforcement, which ICE called a "surge," raised the question of why illegal immigrants with criminal convictions hadn't already been deported after serving time behind bars.

Public Events
11 AM EST
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Alejandro Mayorkas will administer the Oath of Allegiance and deliver congratulatory remarks to 50 candidates for citizenship during a special naturalization ceremony with Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Tom Perez
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C.

2 PM Local
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary John Morton will join Cambodian National Police Commissioner Neth Savoeun to sign a Letter of Intent to enhance cooperation on investigations related to the sexual exploitation of children
Cambodia National Police Headquarters
Phnom Penh, Cambodia

6 PM Local
ICE Assistant Secretary Morton will participate in a media availability to discuss the U.S. and Cambodian law enforcement cooperation to prevent the sexual exploitation of children.
U.S. Embassy
Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Information on the Chilean Earthquake and Tsunami Warnings

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 19:29:00 +0000

Cross-posted from The White House Blog.

The President made the following statement on the earthquake in Chile and preparations for a possible tsunami that could reach American shores later today:

Good morning, everybody. Earlier today, a devastating earthquake struck the nation of Chile, affecting millions of people. This catastrophic event was followed by multiple aftershocks, and has prompted tsunami warnings across the Pacific Ocean. Earlier today, I was briefed by my national security team on the steps that we're taking to protect our own people, and to stand with our Chilean friends.

Early indications are that hundreds of lives have been lost in Chile, and the damage is severe. On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the Chilean people. The United States stands ready to assist in the rescue and recovery efforts, and we have resources that are positioned to deploy should the Chilean government ask for our help. Chile is a close friend and partner of the United States, and I've reached out to President Bachelet to let her know that we will be there for her should the Chilean people need assistance, and our hearts go out to the families who may have lost loved ones.

We're also preparing for a tsunami that could reach American shores later today, particularly in Hawaii, American Samoa, and Guam. A tsunami warning is in place, and people have been alerted to evacuate coastal areas. I urge citizens to listen closely to the instructions of local officials, who will have the full support of the federal government as they prepare for a potential tsunami, and recover from any damage that may be caused.

I also urge our citizens along the West Coast to be prepared as well, as there may be dangerous waves and currents throughout the day. Again, the most important thing that you can do is to carefully heed the instructions of your state and local officials.

Once again, we've been reminded of the awful devastation that can come at a moment’s notice. We can't control nature, but we can and must be prepared for disaster when it strikes. In the hours ahead, we'll continue to take every step possible to prepare our shores and protect our citizens. And we will stand with the people of Chile as they recovery from this terrible tragedy.

Thank you very much, everybody.

We will post video shortly.

Tsunami warnings are in affect for Hawaii, N. Marianas, American Samoa, Marshall and Solomon Islands. A tsunami advisory is in effect along the west coast of the United States and Alaska. More information can be found at the National Weather Center's website.

FEMA continues to monitor the situation, and through Region IX in California, is in contact with the State of Hawaii, and recommends that individuals follow the advice of local officials. FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate is monitoring the situation from FEMA Headquarters in Washington, DC and released the following statement:

FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security are closely monitoring the situation, and officials are in close contact with the State of Hawaii and the U.S. territories in the Pacific Ocean that could be impacted by a potential tsunami. FEMA stands ready to assist should a request for assistance be made, and does have pre-deployed assets in Hawaii, including food, water, generators and other resources. We urge all individuals to follow the direction provided by local officials.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has been briefed and is monitoring developments from Vancouver, where she is serving as the lead of the US Delegation at the Olympics.

More information and resources:

The National Weather Center's Tsunami.gov.
General Information on Tsumani preparedness as well as a tool to determine if your address is in a tsunami evacuation zone.
In Hawaii, citizens can go to http://www.scd.state.hi.us/ for the latest news and information. Additionally, the States of California, Washington, and Oregon have similar sites on their web pages dedicated to this.
If you are U.S citizen looking for a loved one in Chile, please contact State's Consular Affairs Bureau on 1-888-407-4747. Further guidance is on its website.
A "person finder" has also been published to help find individuals in affected area in Chile – this resource is not maintained by the US government.

Robert Gibbs is White House Press Secretary

Explosive Trace Detection Usage Expanded: Give Us A Hand

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:03:00 +0000

Cross-posted from the TSA Blog.

What’s the biggest threat to an airplane? A knife? A pistol? While these items can be dangerous, with hardened cockpit doors installed after 9/11, an improvised explosive device poses the biggest threat to aviation security today.

I’ve talked about using Advanced Imaging Technologies to detect non-metallic and metallic threats, including IEDs already, but today I wanted to talk about another technology we have to detect explosives hidden on people and in bags.While going through checkpoints, you might have seen officers using little white swabs at TSA checkpoints at one point or another. In case you had no idea what our officers were doing, they were conducting state of the art Explosives Trace Detection (ETD) tests. And all along you thought they were giving your items a complimentary cleaning…

ETD tests are used in checkpoint, checked baggage, and cargo environments. We swab things such as laptops, shoes, film, cell phones, bags, wheelchairs, hands, casts - you name it. Certain procedures call for an ETD test.

Basically, our officers run the white swab over the area in question to collect a trace sample. They then place the swab in the ETD machinery which analyzes the sample for extremely small traces of explosives. The test takes a matter of seconds.

In the TSA of the past, our ETD machines were anchored to certain checkpoints or baggage areas. This is a mobile technology and we’re now going to take advantage of that luxury.

Recently, we tested ETD technology outside its regular use at checkpoints and checked baggage areas, and confirmed its ability to be used in other areas of the airport like the gate to check for explosives residue on passengers. Why the move? Since the attempted attack on 12/25, we looked at ways to immediately strengthen security using existing technology and procedures in different ways. ETD is quick, good for security and cost efficient.

Sure, we’re improving the checkpoints with technology such as Advanced Imaging Technology machines, but we currently have ETD machines at every checkpoint in the country and this new procedure will help us beef up security. Explosive Trace Detection is a highly effective, proven technology.

So as you travel, you might be asked for a swab of your hands at the checkpoint or gate. It’s painless and quick. The swabs are disposed of after each use and will not be used on more than one person.This is another way we can help keep the flying public safe from attempted attacks such as the one on 12/25.For additional reading, check out these new articles on our expanded use of ETD technology:

CNN: TSA to swab airline passengers' hands in search for explosives

USA Today: TSA takes explosives screening to fliers

Thanks,
Blogger Bob
TSA Blog Team

Transition Support for Veterans

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:29:00 +0000

Starting in February, DHS began hosting monthly support workshops for transitioning service members, retired or separated veterans, and their spouses in the Washington, D.C. area. Participants can get valuable knowledge on how to apply for federal jobs, federal resume tips, DHS job opportunities and special veteran hiring authorities. Click here for a flyer with information on upcoming workshops.

This program, developed by the DHS Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer, is one of several new programs aimed at helping veterans transition into employment opportunities at DHS. These workshops are meant to complement Military Transition Center activities.

For more information on the transition support workshops, visit www.dhs.gov/veterans.

Morning Roundup - February 16th

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:29:00 +0000

From USA Today, on Trusted Traveler:

The U.S. government trusts Ricardo Castro as a customer. And it wants more like him.
Castro, an oil industry executive who travels internationally and lives in Houston and Singapore, signed up as a member of Global Entry, a so-called trusted traveler program launched two years ago by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Designed for international travelers who are "trusted" or considered low terrorism risks, it promises quicker U.S. Customs clearance at automated kiosks.
Consider Castro a happy customer. No longer having to stand in line with large crowds, Castro says he clears customs usually in about a minute and has never seen a line at the kiosks.
As international arrival passengers rush to fill up lines at customs, "I smile and keep on walking," says Castro, who uses Global Entry about twice a month, mostly at Houston, Miami and Dallas/Fort Worth.
Trusted traveler programs have grown steadily in recent years despite skeptics who worry about surrendering personal information for machine-dependent processes run by the government. The initiative has three components for the public: Global Entry for international arrivals; Nexus for USA-Canada border crossing; and Sentri for USA-Mexico borders.

From The Washington Post, on temporary protected status for Haitian immigrants living in the United States:

More than 12,000 Haitians have applied for the chance to stay and work legally in the U.S. while their country struggles to recover from last month's earthquake.
The applications have rolled in, even though the July 20 application deadline is months away, said Bill Wright, spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Services, part of the Homeland Security Department.
The chance to work is critical for many of the immigrants who are hoping to help families trying to overcome the magnitude-7 earthquake that leveled parts of Haiti.
Because it is unsafe to return the illegal immigrants to Haiti, DHS said it would grant eligible immigrants temporary protected status. Successful applicants can remain and work for 18 months without fear of deportation or detention.

From Federal Computer Week, on Caryn Wagner, the newly confirmed DHS Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis:

The Homeland Security Department has a new intelligence chief to lead the department's program to use information technology to share homeland security-related information with state and local officials.
The Senate confirmed Caryn Wagner to be DHS' undersecretary for intelligence and analysis by unanimous consent Feb. 11. Wagner's first day as head of DHS' Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) is today.
DHS is the lead federal agency for state and local intelligence fusion centers that are owned and operated by states and municipalities and serve as a central node for the federal government's efforts for sharing terrorism-related information with state and local officials.
Wagner has served on the senior faculty at the Intelligence Security Academy, an organization that provides training and consulting services related to national security, according to DHS. She has also held a variety of senior government intelligence jobs.

There are no public events scheduled for today.

"I am a veteran. I am homeland security."

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:29:00 +0000

In November 2009, DHS launched a redesigned www.dhs.gov/veterans page to make it easier for veterans to get information about opportunities with the Department. Veterans make up one quarter of the DHS workforce, so we’re committed to making sure they have all the information they need to interact with and conduct business with the department. The website now provides veterans and veteran service organizations a one-stop shop for information about employment, contracting, and volunteer opportunities in the Department.

We updated this page again today to highlight additional exceptional veterans that currently work with the Department, so stop by our veterans profile page and see why our employee veterans find DHS a good fit.

Last year, Secretary Napolitano committed to employing 50,000 veterans by 2012 – during fiscal year 2009, we hired 5,142 veterans. Today, we boast more than 46,000 total veterans among our ranks.

Recruitment and hiring goals are one way we are engaging the veteran community. We are also creating greater opportunities for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses to work with DHS. In 2009, veteran-owned small businesses competed for an won more than $931 million in contracts from DHS.

The nation benefits from the service of our veterans in the work that we do at the Department; they bring proven experience and dedication to the job and we welcome veterans to join DHS and continue their service to the nation.

Visit www.dhs.gov/veterans for more information.

News and Events Roundup - February 3rd

noreply@blogger.com (DHS) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:01:00 +0000

From the Washington Post, a video interview with Craig Fugate:

From the Associated Press, on a big haul for CBP:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have seized nearly a ton of marijuana hidden in a banana shipment at a cargo facility near the U.S.-Mexico border.
Officials say a drug-sniffing dog alerted officers to the stash Monday when the Mexican truck driver applied to cross into the U.S. at the Otay Mesa cargo facility.
Officers say they opened the boxes in the truck and found 235 packages of pot worth an estimated $1.1 million.

Leadership Events
10:30 AM EST
Secretary Napolitano will deliver remarks during an open session meeting of the Homeland Security Advisory Council
Grand Hyatt Hotel, Empire Ballroom
109 East 42nd Street
New York, N.Y.

Public Events
11:30 AM CDT
ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton will participate in a media availability to announce the results of an alien smuggling operation in the Houston area
ICE Building
Mineral’s Management Conference Room
4141 Sam Houston Parkway East
Houston, Texas

2 PM EST
Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) Response and Recovery Associate Administrator William Carwile will testify about FEMA’s urban search and rescue program in Haiti before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management
2167 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

2 PM EST
S&T Deputy Under Secretary Bradley Buswell will testify about the Department’s efforts to develop the next generation of screening technologies before the House Committee on Science and Technology, Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation
2318 Rayburn House Office Buildings
Washington, D.C.

4:30 PM CDT
ICE Deputy Assistant Secretary Alonzo Pena is hosting a media availability with the South Texas media to discuss results from a cross border summit.
University of Texas-Brownsville
UT Business Building, 2nd Floor
Salon Casi
Brownsville, Texas