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• Venezuela: Background and U.S. Relations [Updated March 12, 2020]

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  From the Document: "Venezuela remains in a deep crisis under the authoritarian rule of Nicolás Maduro of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela. Maduro, narrowly elected in 2013 after the death of Hugo Chávez (president, 1999-2013), began a second term on January 10, 2019, that is widely considered illegitimate. Since January 2019, Juan Guaidó, president of Venezuela's democratically elected, opposition-controlled National Assembly, has sought to form a transition government to serve until internationally observed elections can be held. The United States and 57 other countries recognize Guaidó as interim president, but he has been unable to wrest Maduro from power and has faced increased danger since returning home from a January-February 2020 tour, which included a meeting with President Trump. Some observers believe that National Assembly elections due this year might start an electoral path out of the current stalemate."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Seelke, Clare Ribando; Brown, Phillip (Specialist in Energy Policy); Margesson, Rhoda . . .

  2020-03-12
• Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for 2021, Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Second Session, February 26, February 27, March 10, 2020

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  This document includes the February 26, February 27, and March 10, 2020 hearings on "Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for 2021," held before a House Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations. It is divided into the following four hearings: Department of Homeland Security, Members' Day, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and United States Coast Guard. Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Chad Wolf, Mark A. Morgan, Karl Schultz, and Matthew T. Albence.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2021
• Smuggling in the Time of COVID-19: The Impact of the Pandemic on Human-Smuggling Dynamics and Migrant-Protection Risks

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  From the Summary: "Efforts to counter the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic have seen unprecedented restrictions on movement being imposed in many countries, both at borders and within countries. Some communities and policymakers have adopted increasingly hostile attitudes towards migrants, whom they perceive as contagion risks. Barriers to movement are therefore not only state-imposed but can also be community led. While these measures are reducing migration and the smuggling business in many regions in the short term, they are also heightening migrant-protection risks. Such measures are also likely to swell the profits of the smuggling industry in the medium term. COVID-19, and the measures introduced to control it are likely to increase the drivers for movement; the vulnerability of migrants at any point in their journey; the militarization of borders; and the further reduction of safe and legal routes. As the policy environment becomes more hostile to migration, the operating risks and prices of smuggling look set to rise. This may drive out operators with a lower risk appetite and attract organized-crime groups, who are more likely to exploit migrants for ever greater profit. To avoid emerging into a post-pandemic landscape characterized by a dramatically more severe migrant crisis and a more lucrative and professionalized smuggling market controlled by organized crime, it is key to monitor and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on migrants and refugees throughout the pandemic."

  Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

  Bird, Lucia

  2020-04
• COVID-19 Impacts on Immigration Detention: Global Responses

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  From the International Detention Coalition Foreword: "Over the past few months, immigration detention practices around the world have been changing rapidly as state and civil society actors respond to manage the multiple impacts of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]. [...] In collaborating with the Humanitarian and Development Research Initiative to produce this joint edited collection, the International Detention Coalition sought to provide a platform for our members and partners to discuss their experiences, actions and perspectives as the pandemic unfolded across the globe. The contributions are rich and diverse, showing the impact that COVID-19 has had on refugee, undocumented migrant and stateless communities around the world. The contributions highlight a number of issues related to migrants, stateless persons and refugees experiencing (or at risk of) immigration detention - the closure of borders, restrictions on international and local travel, changes in status determination procedures for asylum seekers and refugees, new regulations concerning visitors and lawyers in detention facilities, the redistribution of detainees across different facilities, the introduction of quarantine and isolation procedures for those with COVID-19 symptoms, and the impacts of immigration detention practices on the mental health needs of detainees. The edited collection covers the response of civil society groups to immigration detention, highlighting increased concern about the detention of non-citizens expressed in rallies, petitions, and other forms of protest. It also reviews legal interventions that have led to the release of detainees - some, unfortunately, into destitution and homelessness."

  International Detention Coalition; Western Sydney University. Humanitarian and Development Research Initiative

  Chew, Vivienne; Phillips, Melissa, 1974-; Yamada Park, Min Jee

  2020
• DHS Lexicon Terms and Definitions, 2017 Edition - Revision 2

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  "On March 31, 2004, the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) Lexicon Working Group recommended to the DHS Secretary Tom Ridge that DHS should create a Homeland Security Lexicon. HSAC believed that a lexicon was vital to DHS's success and to the future of the United States, and recommended that DHS 'create, sustain, and promote the Homeland Security Lexicon' so that all language associated with DHS's work would be as descriptive, accurate, precise, and as widely understood as possible. In response, the Secretary created the DHS Lexicon Program in June 2004. The DHS Lexicon is a unified controlled vocabulary that DHS and its Components can use when communicating and sharing data. We created this lexicon by combining and standardizing the different vocabularies used by the Department. By providing a common definition for the terms we use every day, the Lexicon reduces the possibility of misunderstandings when communicating across the Department and helps DHS to develop and manage knowledge, information, and data. The DHS Lexicon is the official source for terms and definitions supporting the Department and the homeland security community."

  United States. Department of Homeland Security

  2017-10-16
• Office for Victims of Crime Report to the Nation 2003: Fiscal Years 2001 and 2002

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  "Established in 1988 by an amendment to the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) within the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) of the U.S. Department of Justice provides federal leadership and funding to improve the treatment of America's crime victims. Congress charged OVC with administering the Crime Victims Fund (the Fund), the mechanism created by VOCA to support thousands of direct service programs across the country and victim compensation programs in every state and territory. Composed primarily of fines, penalties, and bond forfeitures from convicted federal offenders-not appropriated taxpayer dollars-the Fund also supports training and demonstration projects and programs designed to improve the response to victims of federal crime. […] The Report to the Nation 2003 provides an overview of activities supported and administered by OVC during Fiscal Years (FYs) 2001 and 2002 (October 1, 2000, to September 30, 2002). It highlights the many initiatives funded by OVC in support of the President's and the Justice Department's vision for greater access to justice among victims. From strengthening grassroots efforts in communities to responding to global terror, the programs encapsulated in this report address myriad challenges facing victims and those who serve them. At the same time, by showing what can be accomplished with relatively few resources, it demonstrates the creative approach to problem solving so characteristic of the victim service field."

  United States. Office of Justice Programs

  2003
• Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for 2013, Part 4, Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Second Session, Subcommittee on Homeland Security, March 8 and 21, 2012

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  This is Part 4 of the hearings on "Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for 2013," held before the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Homeland Security. The hearings in this document include "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement," held on March 8, 2012, and "Department of Homeland Security Facilities Hearing," held on March 21, 2012. Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Melvin Bernstein, Rafael Borras, Cynthia Hilton, Lynn Jenkins, Flavia Jimenez, C. M. Kelley, L. A. Larson, George McCubbin, John Morton, Tara O'Toole, and Hui-Shan Walker.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2012
• 2014 Humanitarian Crisis at Our Border: A Review of the Government's Response to Unaccompanied Minors One Year Later, Hearing Before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, July 7, 2015

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  This is a compilation of the July 7, 2015 hearing entitled "2014 Humanitarian Crisis at Our Border: A Review of the Government's Response to Unaccompanied Minors One Year Later," held before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. From the opening statement of committee chairman Ron Johnson: "Last summer, we witnessed a humanitarian crisis as more than 51,000 unaccompanied minors from Central America came across the U.S.-Mexico border. The purpose of this hearing is to assess, one year after the crisis, what happened to those children. […] What we do know is that more than 51,000 children from Central America entered the U.S. last summer, and fewer than 2,000 have been repatriated to their home countries. When asked what has happened to the minors since they were turned over to sponsors, agencies start pointing fingers at each other. The Department of Health and Human Services claims it has no responsibility to follow up with children once they are handed off to sponsors. The Department of Justice suggests it only issues orders of removal and cannot enforce those orders. The Department of Homeland Security has stated that ICE has not repatriated more children because of delays in immigration courts and the long time that asylum adjudications take. […] Isn't it time to re-evaluate our laws and to seek a more workable and straightforward system -- one that eliminates, or at least drastically reduces, the incentives for illegal immigration?"

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

  2015-07-07
• Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Center of Excellence Directors' Meeting - Spring 2014 PowerPoint Presentations

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  This is a compilation of all the PowerPoint Presentations from the DHS Science & Technology (S&T) Center of Excellence (COE) Directors' Meeting held on March 21, 2014. "The COE Directors provided updates on their research portfolios and discussed education opportunities available to DHS professionals. Attendees included S&T leadership and representatives from several DHS components including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, National Protection and Programs Directorate, Office of Health Affairs, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration."

  United States. Department of Homeland Security. Science and Technology Directorate

  2014-03-21
• PRISM: A Journal of the Center for Complex Operations (Volume 5, No.4)

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  "This edition of 'PRISM' contains the following articles: 'Colombia Back from the Brink: From Failed State to Exporter of Security' By Juan Carlos Pinzón; 'Alliance for Prosperity in the Northern Triangle: A Leap Towards Ensuring Regional Security' By Juan Orlando Hernández; 'Change and Adaptation: Changes in the Western Hemisphere and Beyond' By Vicente Fox; 'De-Militarizing Civilian Security in Mexico and the Northern Triangle' By Tom Malinowski and Charles O. Blaha; 'A Critical Juncture for Security and Human Rights' By Leana D. Bresnahan; 'Insecurity and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean' By Inés Bustillo and Halvia Velloso; 'United States policy in the Hemisphere: Influencing the State and Beyond' By Frank O. Mora and Brian Fonesca; 'After the Negotiations: How Reconstruction Teams Can Build a Stronger Peace in Colombia' By Agustin E. Dominguez; 'Russia in Latin America: A Strategic Analysis' By Douglas Farah and Liana Eustacia Reyes; 'Iranian and Hezbollah Operation in South America: Then and Now' By Matthew Levitt; 'Transnational Organized Crime: An Insidious Threat to US National Security Interests' By Renee Novakoff; 'Illicit Networks: Rethinking the Systemic Risk in Latin America' By Ivan Briscoe and Pamela Kalkman; 'The Rise of Militias in Mexico: Citizens' Security or Further Conflict Escalation?' By Vanda Felbab-Brown; 'The Evolving Transnational Crime-Terrorism Nexus in Peru and its Strategic Relevance for the U.S. and the Region' By R. Evan Ellis."

  National Defense University. Center for Technology and National Security Policy. Center for Complex Operations

  2015
• United States Attorneys' Bulletin: Child Protection, Exploitation, and Obscenity, Volume 52 Number 2, March 2004

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  This edition of the United States Attorneys' Bulletin covers Child Protection, Exploitation, and Obscenity. The following articles are included: "Prosecuting Web-based Obscenity Cases"; "The Aftermath of Free Speech: A New Definition of Child Pornography"; "Sex Trafficking of Minors: International Crisis, Federal Response"; "Establishing the Interstate Nexus in Child Pornography Cases"; "Making a Child Exploitation Case with Computer Forensics"; "Rescuing Victims of Child Pornography Through Image Analysis"; and "Effective Use of the Medical Expert in Child Pornography Cases."

  Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys

  2004-03
• Challenges Stemming from Demographic and Technology Issues Within the United Arab Emirates

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  From the thesis abstract: "This research explores the internal security threats posed by both the disproportionate expatriate resident population and the impact of modern technologies within the UAE. More specifically, we analyze UAE [United Arab Emirates] government efforts to regulate and monitor the flow and activities of expatriates, as well as measures such as Emiratisation, which seek to replace workers with nationals within, select sectors of the private labor force. To balance the benefits and risks that are inherent with the application of technology, specifically communication related technologies, safeguards have been implemented and policies have been created that suit the interest of the culture to monitor and regulate the flow of information among the people. Based on our inductive exploration of the case of the UAE we generate specific policy recommendations such as to strengthen and move ahead with Emiratisation policy, to impose high values for charges related to the violation of the rules in relation to all security policies, and to impose a mandatory military service for all of the UAE nationals that would enhance national defense internal security response. In addition we have provided general arguments for future testing."

  Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)

  Aldaheri, Mohammed; AlNehayan, Mohammed

  2010-12
• Violent Crime: A Comparative Study of Honduras and Nicaragua

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  From the thesis abstract: "This thesis explains variation between contemporary Honduras and Nicaragua in terms of their levels of violent crime. The thesis is driven by an empirical observation: Nicaragua, a country that shares a border with Honduras and where the U.S.-backed Contras waged a civil war against the Sandinista government during much of the 1980s, is considerably less violent than Honduras, which did not undergo civil war. This variation conflicts with expectations in studies of security in Central America that countries that have experienced civil war will, during the post-conflict period, experience higher rates of violent crime than countries that have not. In contrast, this thesis argues that in Nicaragua it was precisely the conclusion of the civil war that drew attention from domestic and international actors who implemented changes that resulted in the demilitarization of internal security, the reduction of weapons in society, and the emergence of social movements that gave ex-combatants voice through non-violent means. Honduras, which did not experience civil war and a subsequent peace process, has seen the circulation of large amounts of weaponry and ongoing military participation in internal security, which has meant human rights abuses and low social capital."

  Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)

  Wilson, David A.

  2009-03
• International Narcotics Control Strategy Report: Volume II, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes, March 2012

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  "The 2012 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes, highlights the most significant steps countries and jurisdictions categorized as --Major Money Laundering Countries�- have taken to improve their anti-money laundering/counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) regimes. The report provides a snapshot of the AML/CFT legal infrastructure of each country or jurisdiction and its capacity to share information and cooperate in international investigations. For each country where they have been completed, the write-up also provides a link to the most recent mutual evaluation performed by or on behalf of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) or the FATF-style regional body to which the country or jurisdiction belongs. When applicable, relevant country reports also provide links to the Department of State's ―Country Reports on Terrorism so the reader can learn more about issues specific to terrorism and terrorism financing. Providing these links will allow those interested readers to find detailed information on the country's AML/CFT capacity and the effectiveness of its programs."

  United States. Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs

  2012-03
• International Narcotics Control Strategy Report: Volume I, Drug and Chemical Control, March 2012

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  The following has been taken from the introduction: "The Department of State's International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) has been prepared in accordance with section 489 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (the 'FAA,' 22 U.S.C. § 2291). The 2012 INCSR, published in March 2012, covers the year January 1 to December 31, 2011 and is published in two volumes, the second of which covers money laundering and financial crimes. … In attempting to evaluate whether countries and certain entities are meeting the goals and objectives of the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the Department has used the best information it has available. The 2012 INCSR covers countries that range from major drug producing and drug-transit countries, where drug control is a critical element of national policy, to small countries or entities where drug issues or the capacity to deal with them are minimal. The reports vary in the extent of their coverage. For key drug-control countries, where considerable information is available, we have provided comprehensive reports. For some smaller countries or entities where only limited information is available, we have included whatever data the responsible post could provide."

  United States. Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs

  2012-03
• Alliance Built Upon Necessity: AQIM, Boko Haram, and the African 'Arch of Instability'

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  From the thesis abstract: "This paper examines numerous linkages between two influential terrorist organizations operating in Sub-Saharan Africa, Boko Haram and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), and what would be the political and security ramifications on United States foreign policy toward Sub-Saharan Africa stemming from the enhanced partnership between these groups. I argue that containment of these groups and their current operations through overwhelming military supremacy does not project a sustainable way forward for not only the United States, but more importantly, for the international community. The ongoing instability in the Sahel could have enormous second- and third-order negative effects on the entire region. The threat both groups represent with their freedom of movement should not be underestimated. Both receive some form of active and passive support from their respected indigenous populations, and as they evolve, are becoming more sophisticated in their training, funding, and methods of employment. Regional Islamic safe havens could be created through the union of Boko Haram and AQIM as their modes of shared ideology, financing, and tactics move forward. Therefore, a strategy of moderate containment through enhanced engagement by leveraging all lines of operations, coupled with soft and hard power, will increase the likelihood of long-term stability."

  Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)

  Ryan, James D.

  2013-06
• Beyond Convergence: A World Without Order

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  "This book describes 'convergence' (the interactivity and hybridization of diverse illicit networks), the emergence of new networks and new domains or 'battlespaces,' and the threat illicit networks pose to national and international security. It examines dystopian visions of a world in which these trajectories go indenitely unimpeded, and concludes by discussing possible countermeasures to be explored."

  National Defense University. Center for Technology and National Security Policy. Center for Complex Operations

  Matfess, Hilary; Miklaucic, Michael

  2016-10
• National Security Challenges and U.S. Military Activities in the Indo-Pacific, Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, March 10, 2021

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  This is the March 10, 2021 hearing on "National Security Challenges and U.S. Military Activities in the Indo-Pacific," held before the U.S. House Committee on Armed Services. From the Opening Statement of Adam Smith: "[W]e are here to do our posture hearing for the Indo-Pacific Command and the Indo-Pacific region. This is an incredibly important part of the world, as China is, without question, the largest national security challenge and competitor that we have in the world today. I think it is not an overstatement to say that, you know, how the next 50 years goes for this globe is going to be significantly impacted by how we manage that relationship with China, how we meet the challenges that they present in many areas but certainly in the Indo-Pacific region. And I really welcome the opportunity to have a conversation with our witnesses today, who are so expert on that subject." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Robert B. Abrams, Philip S. Davidson, and David F. Helvey.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2021
• Border Security-2013: Hearing Before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, First Session: Measuring the Progress and Addressing the Challenges, March 14, 2013; Frontline Perspective on Progress and Remaining Challenges, April 10, 2013; Examining Provisions in the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744)

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  This congressional hearing is composed of three separate testimony dates. The first testimony is the March 14, 2013 hearing, "Measuring the Progress and Addressing the Challenges," before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. From the opening statement of Thomas R. Carper: "As Congress wrestles anew with immigration reform this year, the security of our borders will be closely examined. This conversation is likely to be quite different from the one we had 7 years ago when we last debated immigration reform. That is largely due to the substantial investments we have made to secure our borders over the past decade, particularly our Southern border with Mexico. Despite all of the money and attention we have poured into these efforts, we are still facing what I believe is a lag between perception and reality, much like what happened with the American auto industry. By the beginning of this current century, the quality of the vehicles that Detroit was making had begun to markedly improve, greatly narrowing and then eliminating the quality gap between our vehicles and those produced in Japan and Europe. However, it was only in the last few years that the public really recognized and accepted this fact, allowing the perception of the quality of American vehicles to catch up with the reality of the quality of those vehicles. Likewise, despite the tremendous improvements that have been made in border security over the past decade, the public's perception of these improvements has lagged at times behind reality. According to one of our witnesses today, Doris Meissner, we will spend $18 billion this year enforcing our immigration and customs laws. That is more than we will spend on all other Federal law enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Marshalls, and the Secret Service combined. Just think about that. And since 2000, the Border Patrol alone has more than doubled in size, and its funding has almost quadrupled. This enormous investment reflects just how important effective border security is to our Nation." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Thomas R. Carper, Tom Coburn, Edward Alden, Doris Meissner and David A. Shirk. The second testimony is the April 10, 2013 hearing, "Frontline Perspective on Progress and Remaining Challenges" before the United States Senate, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. From the opening statement of Thomas R. Carper: "And during my trip to Arizona in February, I saw a border that appears to me to be- and to a lot of other people -more secure than it has ever been, or has been in a long time- by any measure that we have available to us at this moment. In addition, I spoke with, along with Senator McCain, a bunch of his local mayors and law enforcement officers who told me that the crime rates in their communities were at the lowest level in decades and were continuing to decline. I saw parts of the border that were overrun with unauthorized immigration as recently as 2006, when the Border Patrol agents I met with told me they used to arrest more than 1,000 people every single today [day]. And today, those agents tell me that they have a busy day if they arrest even 50 people. That is a remarkable development and clearly a significant change for the better. It was also consistent with the dramatic reductions that we see nationwide, in the United States, of people trying to cross our borders illegally, which have reached their lowest level since the early 1970s. I also saw advanced surveillance technology, such as the cameras and radars that we are deploying to serve as force multipliers for our folks on the ground. The men and women I spoke with told me that these technologies help them quickly pinpoint where people are trying to cross the border illegally so that their agents can be deployed in time to make an arrest or turn them back. We heard about a remarkable new radar being tested on a drone called VADER, that is providing the Border Patrol with an unprecedented view of the people coming across the border. Another new radar system being tested allows agents to detect physical changes to the ground, such as footsteps, to identify where illegal traffic is heading. And while some of these technologies are expensive, I also saw an inexpensive and versatile aircraft called a C-206, a small plane, which is easy to fly and maintain. It can be used to provide an efficient surveillance platform for agents on the ground. We also heard about inexpensive blimps or dirigibles that can be deployed to help agents detect illegal activities. What I have seen gives me great hope that we have made tangible and measurable gains in securing our Nation's borders over the past decade and have a good sense of what we need to do to build on that progress. We have to rely on intelligence and advanced technology, to identify when and where the threats are crossing our borders and to empower the frontline officers on the ground." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Thomas R. Carper, Tom Coburn, Kevin McAleenan, Michael J. Fisher, Randolph D. Alles, and James A. Dinkins. The third testimony is the May 7, 2013 hearing, "Examining Provisions in the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744)," before the United States Senate, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. From the opening statement of Thomas R. Carper: "This is the third of a series of hearings that this Committee is holding to examine the gains in security that have been made at our borders over the past decade and to review what impact immigration reform may have on those borders. During our two previous hearings, we've heard testimony from experts, [...] and from frontline personnel about the dramatic improvements we have seen in portions of our southern border region since the last time that Congress debated immigration reform 7 years ago, in 2006. In recent years, we have made substantial investments in border security. I believe those investments are for the most part paying off. In 2006, the Border Patrol was averaging more than 1 million arrests of unauthorized immigrants each year- 1 million per year -and the unauthorized population living in the United States had reached an all time high of 12.5 million people. Since then, we have added more than 9,000 Border Patrol agents, bringing their overall staffing to more than 21,000. We have also constructed some 600 miles of new fencing and deployed sophisticated cameras, sensors, and radars across a good part of our border with Mexico. In part because of these investments, apprehensions of individuals attempting to cross our borders illegally are at a 40-year low, and the unauthorized population in our country has actually decreased by about a million people. Despite these developments, we are still facing challenges. All too often, however, these challenges have deep roots in our own domestic policies and the socio-economic conditions of our neighbors." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Thomas R. Carper, Tom Coburn, Mary L. Landrieu, David F. Heyman, Kevin K. McAleenan, Michael J. Fisher, Daniel H. Ragsdale, and Anne L. Richards.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2014
• Investigating Labor Trafficking: Determining Jurisdiction and Interview Questions

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  From the Document: "This resource was developed as part of the 'Partnerships to Address Labor Trafficking' project, designed to improve the awareness, responsiveness, and accountability among law enforcement, businesses, communities, and other stakeholders on labor trafficking." This document provides a list of factors that law enforcement officers must consider when investigating potential labor trafficking, as well as a list of considerations when encountering people who may be victims.

  United States. Department of Justice. Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

  Institute for Intergovernmental Research (U.S.)

  2020
• Tsunami Tragedy: How the U.S. is Responding and Providing Relief, Briefing Before the Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Ninth Congress, First Session, January 26, 2005

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  From the opening statement of Henry J. Hyde: "On December 26th, a massive earthquake off the western coast of Indonesia launched a wall of water in all directions. The geography of the destruction is staggering, from the near epicenter of Indonesia to Sri Lanka and India, to Thailand and Malaysia, to the Island of Maldives to the Seychelles and across the expanse of the Indian Ocean to the eastern coast of Africa. The scale of human loss is devastating. We have all experienced the shock of seeing the video footage of the rush of ocean with bodies and debris flowing down the streets of coastal villages or of hearing accounts of waves pulling children from the desperate grasp of their parents. The latest numbers indicate that over 200,000 people have been reported dead, with over 26,000 missing and over 1 million displaced or otherwise in need. The suddenness and the magnitude of this disaster should remind all of us of the fragility of human life in the face of nature's awesome power. The tremendous response from around the world to this crisis, however, should also remind us of the compassion and the humanity of those who rushed to help those in great need. My fear is that the world's attention will soon shift to some other big news item, some other catastrophe, and with it the window of compassion and assistance will grow smaller. We must understand that many, many needs will remain when the cameras are turned off. My hope is that our commitment and dedication will remain steadfast, and we will maintain our focus on the difficult and arduous task of helping victims reconstruct their lives and their livelihoods." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: James A. Leach, Earl Blumenauer, Andrew S. Natsios, Alan P. Larson, Peter W. Rodman, John Allen, Peter Bell, Richard Brennan, Afshan Khan, Henry J. Hyde, Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, Christopher H. Smith, Tom Lantos, Krista Riddley, Dan Burton, Katherine Harris, and Donald H. Rumsfeld.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2005
• Nomination of Robert E. Lighthizer, Hearing Before the Committee on Finance, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, on the Nomination of Robert E. Lighthizer, to Be United States Trade Representative, with the Rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Executive Office of the President, March 14, 2017

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  This is the March 14, 2017 hearing on "Nomination of Robert E. Lighthizer," held before the United States Senate Before the Committee on Finance. From the opening statement of Orrin G. Hatch: "As chairman of this committee, I hope that we will be able to change that starting today. All told, this committee must consider and report six positions at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Unfortunately, as with most of President Trump's nominees, we are off to a slow start. I hope that with today's hearing we can begin the process of moving these trade nominees more quickly. Mr. Lighthizer is indisputably qualified to serve as USTR [Office of the United States Trade Representative], and I believe he has a strong base of bipartisan support. If we keep this process focused on Mr. Lighthizer and the position he has been nominated to fill, there is no reason he should not be approved by this committee and confirmed by the Senate in short order. Unfortunately, there have been suggestions that extraneous issues, issues that are entirely unrelated to Mr. Lighthizer, might be attached as conditions to the Senate's consideration of the nominee. Let me address this briefly before returning the discussion to the nominee's qualifications and the size able agenda and challenges facing the next USTR." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Robert Dole.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2018
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: Hearing Before the Committe on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session, July 29, 2014

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  This hearing testimony is from the July 29, 2014 hearing on "U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services" held before the House Committee on the Judiciary. From the opening statement of Bob Goodlatte: "There are documented instances of employees in leadership at USCIS [U.S. Customs and Immigration Services] taking control of applications or petitions that have been brought to their attention by immigration lawyers or other outside forces. And I understand that there are ongoing investigations of such illegitimate interference in the adjudication process. The very notion that an application can be approved despite fraud on the part of the applicant, and that USCIS leadership will intervene if they get a call or email from an outside party interested in a certain visa application, is disturbing, to say the least. We know that the President has promised more administrative action to allow unlawful immigrants to remain in the United States and receive quasi-legal status and the right to work. In fact, some of the different tactics he may try to take were even outlined in a set of 2010 leaked USCIS memos regarding 'Administrative Alternatives to Comprehensive Immigration Reform' and 'Immigration Administrative Relief Options.' However, let's be clear, such policies of this Administration, including many implemented at USCIS, as well as promises about future administrative legalizations, continue to encourage unlawful immigrant parents to smuggle their children into the United States. These policies and promises are putting money directly into the pockets of human smuggling and drug cartels. And they are undermining the fundamental constitutional principles that Congress creates the laws and the President is bound to enforce them."

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2014
• Mentoring for Youth with Backgrounds of Involvement in Commercial Sex Activity: National Mentoring Resource Center Population Review

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  "This review examines research on mentoring for youth with backgrounds of involvement (or high-risk for involvement) in commercial sex activity (YCSA). The review is organized around four questions: [1.] What is the documented effectiveness of mentoring for YCSA? [2.] What factors condition or shape the effectiveness of mentoring for YCSA? [3.] What are the intervening processes that are most important in linking mentoring to outcomes for YCSA? [4.] To what extent have efforts to provide mentoring to YCSA reached and engaged targeted youth, been implemented with high quality, and been adopted and sustained by host organizations and settings? Research directly addressing mentoring for youth with backgrounds of commercial sex involvement is extremely limited in scope and largely insufficient for answering any of the above questions. However, when these findings are considered in combination with other available research (for example, qualitative studies of the experiences of youth who have been involved with commercial sex exploitation and survey research eliciting the observations and recommendations of professionals who work with such young persons), it is possible to identify a number of noteworthy possibilities that merit consideration. [...] Direct research on mentoring for YCSA, however, is scarce and of insufficient scope or quality to offer a basis for even preliminary evidence-informed conclusions. This limitation notwithstanding, the review concludes with insights and recommendations for practice based on currently available knowledge."

  United States. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

  DuBois, David L.; Felner, Jennifer K.

  2016-01
• U.S. Department of State: Country Reports on Terrorism 2013

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  "Country Reports on Terrorism 2013 is submitted in compliance with Title 22 of the United States Code, Section 2656f (the "Act"), which requires the Department of State to provide to Congress a full and complete annual report on terrorism for those countries and groups meeting the criteria of the Act."

  United States. Department of State. Bureau of Counterterrorism; United States. Department of State

  2014-04
• 2012 National Network of Fusion Centers, Final Report

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  "Threats to the homeland are persistent and constantly evolving. Domestic and foreign terrorism and the expanding reach of transnational organized crime syndicates across cyberspace, international borders, and jurisdictional boundaries within the United States highlight the continued need to build and sustain effective intelligence and information sharing partnerships among the federal government; state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments; and the private sector. These partnerships are the foundation of a robust and efficient homeland security intelligence enterprise that goes beyond shared access to information and intelligence to foster sustained collaboration in support of a common mission. This collaboration enables the fusion process 1 and provides decision makers across all levels of government and within the private sector with the knowledge to make informed decisions to protect the homeland from a variety of threats and hazards. State and major urban area fusion centers (fusion centers) are the nexus of the homeland security intelligence enterprise at the state and local level. They serve as focal points for the receipt, analysis, gathering, sharing, and safeguarding of threat-related information between the federal government and SLTT and private sector partners. As such, fusion centers provide a state and local context that enhances the national threat picture and enables local officials to better protect their communities. They also provide critical information and subject matter expertise that allows the Intelligence Community (IC) to more effectively 'connect the dots' to prevent and protect against threats to the homeland."

  United States. Department of Homeland Security

  2013-06
• International Narcotics Control Strategy Report Volume II: Money Laundering and Financial Crimes [March 2010]

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  "The International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) is an annual report by the Department of State to Congress prepared in accordance with the Foreign Assistance Act. It describes the efforts of key countries to attack all aspects of the international drug trade in Calendar Year 2009. Volume II covers money laundering and financial crimes."

  United States. Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs

  2010-03
• Public Law 115-125: Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign Authorization Act

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  From the Document: "An Act [t]o amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to issue Department of Homeland Security-wide guidance and develop training programs as part of the Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign, and for other purposes."

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2018-02-14
• H. Rept. 115-829: State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill, 2019, Report Together with Additional Views to Accompany H.R. 6385, July 16, 2018

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  From the Overview: "United States economic and security interests are affected by long-standing challenges and emerging crises throughout the world. From chaos sown by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and other terrorist organizations; Russian aggression in Europe and Eurasia; ongoing efforts by the Taliban to destabilize Afghanistan; conflict, disease, and the threat of famine in parts of Africa and Yemen; provocation by North Korea; and sophisticated criminal networks running drugs and fueling corruption in America's own backyard, now is not the time for the United States to back down from global engagement and its leadership role abroad. [...] The Committee recommendation for fiscal year 2019 for activities under the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs is $54,018,000,000 in new discretionary budget authority, which is same as the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $11,799,975,000 above the fiscal year 2019 request. Within the total funding provided, the recommendation includes $8,018,000,000 in title VIII for Overseas Contingency Operations/ Global War on Terrorism, which is $4,000,000 below the fiscal year 2018 enacted level."

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2018
• Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for 2013, Part 2, Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Second Session, Subcommittee on Homeland Security, February 15, 28, and 29, 2012

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  These hearings from February 2012 discuss many issues related to the homeland security budgeting process for Fiscal Year 2013. Testimony focuses on the Department of Homeland Security, the Transportation Security Administration, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Janet Napolitano, John S. Pistole, Michael Fisher, Kevin McAleenan, Mark Borkowski, and Michael Kostelnik.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2012