Preventing Terrorism

Protecting the American people from terrorist threats is the reason DHS was created, and remains our highest priority.

Preventing Terrorism Overview

Protecting the American people from terrorist threats is the reason the Department of Homeland Security was created, and remains our highest priority.
Preventing Terrorism Results

Protecting the United States from terrorism is the founding mission of DHS. While America is stronger and more resilient as a result of a strengthened homeland security enterprise, terrorist threats persist and continue to evolve.
Weapons of Mass Destruction

The United States faces a rising danger from terrorists and rogue states seeking to use weapons of mass destruction. A weapon of mass destruction is a nuclear, radiological, chemical, biological, or other device that is intended to harm a large number of people. The Department of Homeland Security works every day to prevent terrorists and other threat actors from using these weapons to harm Americans.
Critical Infrastructure Security

Critical infrastructure describes the physical and cyber systems and assets that are so vital to the United States that their incapacity or destruction would have a debilitating impact on our physical or economic security or public health or safety.
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)

DHS works to enhance the nation’s counter-IED capabilities and reduce the threat of explosive attack against critical infrastructure, the private sector, and federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial entities.
If You See Something, Say Something

A program to raise public awareness of indicators of terrorism and terrorism-related crime, and to emphasize the importance of reporting suspicious activity to the proper state and local law enforcement authorities.
National Terrorism Advisory System

National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) advisories communicate information about terrorist threats by providing timely, detailed information to the public, government agencies, first responders, public sector organizations, airports and other transportation hubs.
REAL ID

The REAL ID Act establishes minimum security standards for license issuance and production and prohibits Federal agencies from accepting for certain purposes driver’s licenses and identification cards from states not meeting the Act’s minimum standards.
Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships

Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) accomplishes a prevention mission by engaging and collaborating with local communities to enable education, awareness, and training programs that work to build a whole-of-society prevention architecture. Ultimately, the core goal of CP3’s prevention efforts is to equip and empower local efforts—including peers, teachers, community leaders, and law enforcement—to prevent individuals from mobilizing to violence before it becomes a law enforcement matter.