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National Maritime Cybersecurity Plan to the National Strategy for Maritime Security
From the Introduction: "This plan articulates how the United States government can best buy down the potential catastrophic risks to national security and economic prosperity caused by MTS [Maritime Transportation System] operators' increasing reliance on IT [information technology] and OT [operational technology], while still promoting maritime commerce efficiency and reliability. The National Maritime Cybersecurity Plan (Plan) for the National Strategy for Maritime Security (NSMS) integrates cybersecurity into the NSMS's principles of: (1) Freedom of the seas; (2) Facilitation and defense of commerce to ensure the uninterrupted flow of shipping, and (3) Facilitation of the movement of desirable goods and people across our borders, while screening out dangerous people and material."
United States. White House Office
2020-12
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Muted Voices: Toward an Understanding of the U.S. Asylum Program at the Southwest Border
From the thesis Abstract: "The often-dismissed people who live, work, and pass through the Mexico-U.S. border can offer new insight into the U.S. asylum program crisis. This thesis develops a concept called muted voices that can help identify, access, and hear the subjective stories of displaced people, border patrol agents, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officers. These individuals go through a similar journey of trauma and stress in their interactions with U.S. bureaucratic systems--systems made even more cumbersome by executive orders and procedural changes from a presidential administration hell-bent on restricting the U.S. asylum program. The fictional narratives and historical background presented in this thesis illuminate the everyday realities, struggles, and complexities along the border as well as the geopolitical, historical, and economic conditions that have culminated in the current crisis. The accounts of a displaced youth fleeing his home, a border patrol agent implementing the praxis of bordering, ordering, and othering, and a refugee officer interpreting asylum procedures reveal how policies shape lives and help to situate implications and recommendations for homeland security."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Chen, Jaime
2020-12
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Selected Authorities to Obtain DOD Personal Property [November 20, 2020]
From the Document: "Recent controversy in the United States over policing methods has focused attention on transfers of military equipment to police forces nationwide. Under certain circumstances, eligible federal, state, and local agencies may obtain Department of Defense (DOD) 'personal property' (e.g., equipment, clothing, vehicles, aircraft, weapons, ammunition) for use in law enforcement, counterdrug, counterterrorism, border security, and/or humanitarian activities. This In Focus describes statutory authorities that give these agencies the ability to obtain, either temporarily or permanently, DOD personal property."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Plagakis, Sofia; Blum, David A.; Mann, Christopher T.
2020-11-20
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DHS Components Have Not Fully Complied with the Department's Guidelines for Implementing the Lautenberg Amendment
From the Document: "In 1996, Congress amended the 'Gun Control Act of 1968' (Lautenberg Amendment) to prohibit individuals convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence from possessing firearms. [...] U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), United States Secret Service (Secret Service), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have not fully complied with DHS' guidelines for implementing the Lautenberg Amendment. To illustrate, CBP and Secret Service did not ensure law enforcement officers completed annual Lautenberg Amendment certifications as required. CBP and ICE also did not use available resources to monitor the arrests and convictions of law enforcement officers subject to the Lautenberg Amendment. None of the four components provided domestic violence awareness training to law enforcement officers as required by the implementing guidelines. The DHS Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans should ensure components are uniformly applying and enforcing the Department's guidelines for implementing the Lautenberg Amendment."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2020-11-13
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Shanghai Cooperation Organization: A Testbed for Chinese Power Projection
From the Key Findings: "[1] In recent years, Beijing has increased security cooperation with Central Asian countries under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to insulate itself from perceived threats in the region. Beijing is using the SCO to enhance its ability to project power beyond its borders. [2] SCO military exercises offer a unique opportunity for the Chinese armed forces to practice air-ground combat operations in foreign countries, undertaking a range of operations including long-distance mobilization, counterterrorism missions, stability maintenance operations, and conventional warfare. [3] Beijing has used the SCO to gain experience establishing the diplomatic relationships and arrangements necessary to support power projection. Beijing is already using its diplomatic relationships to facilitate an active military presence in Central Asia, such as through its military outpost in Tajikistan and counterterrorism patrols in the China-Tajikistan-Afghanistan border area. Beijing may be able to replicate these diplomatic and military efforts and expand them to other parts of the globe in the future."
U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission
Southerland, Matthew; Green, William; Janik, Sierra
2020-11-12
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Office of Refugee Resettlement Ensured That Selected Care Providers Were Prepared to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic
From the Document: "On July 1, 2019, the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019 (P.L. [Public Law] 116-26) appropriated $2.9 billion for the Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) Program. Title IV provided $5 million for the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), to conduct oversight of the UAC Program. On January 31, 2020, in response to the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, the Secretary of HHS declared a public health emergency. Following this declaration, Congress appropriated $12 million to HHS-OIG to conduct oversight of HHS's response to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. Previous HHS-OIG work has focused on the Office of Refugee Resettlement's (ORR's) efforts to ensure the health and safety of children in the UAC Program, including when the UAC Program experiences a sudden change in the number or needs of children. This report builds on our oversight of ORR's efforts to protect children and is one of two reports addressing emergency preparedness at ORR facilities. This report specifically addresses communicable disease preparedness. Our objective was to determine whether ORR ensured that selected care provider facilities (facilities) followed ORR requirements in preparing for and responding to communicable diseases, such as COVID-19."
United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Inspector General
2020-11
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Federal Law Enforcement Use of Facial Recognition Technology [October 27, 2020]
From the Document: "Law enforcement agencies' use of facial recognition technology (FRT), while not a new practice, has received increased attention from policymakers and the public. In the course of carrying out their duties, federal law enforcement agencies may use FRT for a variety of purposes. [...] This report provides an overview of federal law enforcement agencies' use of FRT, including the current status of scientific standards for its use. The report includes a discussion of how FRT may be used by law enforcement agencies with traditional policing missions as well as by those charged with securing the U.S. borders. It also discusses considerations for policymakers debating whether or how to influence federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies' use of FRT."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Finklea, Kristin; Harris, Laurie A.; Kolker, Abigail F. . . .
2020-10-27
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Forced Labor Imports: DHS Increased Resources and Enforcement Efforts, but Needs to Improve Workforce Planning and Monitoring, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the GAO (Government Accountability Office) Highlights: "Forced labor is a global problem in which individuals are exploited to perform labor or services. The International Labour Organization estimates that forced labor generates profits of $150 billion a year globally. CBP [Customs and Border Protection] is responsible for enforcing Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930, which prohibits the importation of goods made with forced labor. CBP has authority to detain shipments when information indicates that forced labor produced the goods. ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] is responsible for investigating potential crimes related to forced labor, and importers may be subject to prosecution. GAO was asked to review the status of DHS resources for implementing the Section 307 prohibition on forced labor imports, following an amendment of the law in 2016. This report examines (1) the extent to which CBP assessed agency needs for the enforcement of the prohibition on forced labor imports, (2) the outcome of CBP enforcement activities and monitoring of such efforts, and (3) ICE resources for investigations on forced labor. GAO reviewed CBP and ICE documents and data, and interviewed agency officials."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2020-10-27
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Semiconductors: U.S. Industry, Global Competition, and Federal Policy [October 26, 2020]
From the Summary: "Semiconductors, tiny electronic devices based primarily on silicon or germanium, enable nearly all industrial activities, including systems that undergird U.S. technological competitiveness and national security. Many policymakers see U.S. strength in semiconductor technology and fabrication as vital to U.S. economic and national security interests. The U.S. semiconductor industry dominates many parts of the semiconductor supply chain, such as chip design. Semiconductors are also a top U.S. export. Semiconductor design and manufacturing is a global enterprise with materials, design, fabrication, assembly, testing, and packaging operating across national borders. Six U.S.-headquartered or foreign-owned semiconductor companies currently operate 20 fabrication facilities, or fabs, in the United States. In 2019, U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturing directly employed 184,600 workers at an average wage of $166,400."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Platzer, Michaela D.; Sargent, John F., Jr.; Sutter, Karen M.
2020-10-26
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Georgia: Background and U.S. Policy [Updated October 23, 2020]
From the Summary: "Georgia is one of the United States' closest partners among the states that gained their independence after the USSR [Union of Soviet Socialist Republics] collapsed in 1991. With a history of strong economic aid and security cooperation, the United States has deepened its strategic partnership with Georgia since Russia's 2008 invasion of Georgia and 2014 invasion of Ukraine. U.S. policy expressly supports Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and Georgia is a leading recipient of U.S. aid to Europe and Eurasia. Many observers consider Georgia to be one of the most democratic states in the post-Soviet region, even as the country faces ongoing governance challenges. The center-left Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party (GD) holds a dominant political position, with about 61% of seats in parliament."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Welt, Cory
2020-10-23
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Homeland Security Acquisitions: DHS Has Opportunities to Improve Its Component Acquisition Oversight, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the GAO (Government Accountability Office) Highlights: "DHS invests billions of dollars each year in its major acquisition programs--such as systems to help secure the border, increase marine safety, and screen travelers--to help execute its many critical missions. In fiscal year 2020 alone, DHS planned to spend more than $10 billion on major acquisition programs, and ultimately the department plans to invest more than $200 billion over the life cycle of these programs. A critical aspect of DHS's acquisition process is oversight of this portfolio by the CAEs [Component
Acquisition Executives]. Most CAEs are senior acquisition officials below the department level, within the components. The CAEs have oversight responsibilities over the components' major and non-major acquisition programs, among other duties."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2020-10-20
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Immigration Parole [October 15, 2020]
From the Summary: "The parole provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) gives the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) discretionary authority to 'parole into the United States temporarily under such conditions as he may prescribe only on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit any alien applying for admission to the United States.' Immigration parole is official permission to enter and remain temporarily in the United States. It does not constitute formal admission under the U.S. immigration system. An individual granted parole (a parolee) is still considered an applicant for admission. A parolee is permitted to remain in the United States for the duration of the grant of parole, and may be granted work authorization. The DHS Secretary's parole authority has been delegated to three agencies within the department: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Parole can be requested by foreign nationals inside or outside the United States in a range of circumstances. Major parole categories include port-of-entry parole, advance parole, humanitarian parole, and parole-in-place."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2020-10-15
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Homeland Threat Assessment, October 2020
From the Document: "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the first and last line of defense against the many threats facing our country. Our ability to mitigate these threats is predicated on our ability to understand them and to inform the American people. The DHS Homeland Threat Assessment (HTA) identifies the primary threats facing the United States of America at and inside our borders. This Assessment draws upon all sources of information and expertise available to the Department, including from intelligence, law enforcement, and our operational components. [...] The purpose of the HTA is to provide the American people with an overview of the information collected and analyzed by DHS employees around the world and provided to the Secretary of Homeland Security. [...] This inaugural HTA presents a holistic look from across the Department and provides the American people with the most complete, transparent, and candid look at the threats facing our Homeland. It breaks down the major threats to the Homeland in the following sections: 1. The Cyber Threat to the Homeland; 2. Foreign Influence Activity in the Homeland; 3. Threats to U.S. Economic Security; 4. The Terrorist Threat to the Homeland; 5. Transnational Criminal Organization Threats to National Security; 6. Illegal Immigration to the United States; 7. Natural Disasters."
United States. Department of Homeland Security
2020-10
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Trump Administration's Family Separation Policy: Trauma, Destruction, and Chaos: Majority Staff Report, Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. House of Representatives
From the Executive Summary: "When the American people recall the Trump Administration's abhorrent 'family separation' policy--more commonly known as 'family separation'--most think of that short period of time in May and June of 2018 when thousands of children were separated from their parents after crossing the southwest border. Public outrage at this cruel policy was swift and shared by Democrats and many Republicans alike. In a matter of weeks, the policy was enjoined by the courts and rescinded by an executive order--flawed in its own right--setting off a mad scramble by government agencies to return children to their parents. Today, after years of investigation and analysis, it is clear that the Trump Administration's family separation policy lasted far longer than is commonly known. [...] On January 11, 2019, the House Committee on the Judiciary (hereinafter 'the Committee') launched an investigation into the Trump Administration's family separation policy, requesting that the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS), Justice (DOJ), and Health and Human Services (HHS) produce documents, materials, memoranda, and other information relating to this sad chapter in our nation's history. These primary source documents provided exclusively to the Committee, together with outside resources and government reports, chronicle the development of the family separation policy from February 2017 to November 2018. [...] Our examination of these documents allows us to provide the first complete narrative of the Trump Administration's inhumane family separation policy, in the Administration's own words. The investigation reveals a process marked by reckless incompetence and intentional cruelty."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on the Judiciary
2020-10
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Hydra: The Strategic Paradox of Human Security in Mexico
From the Abstract: "Cartels in Mexico produce significant levels of violence and criminality in Mexico through their illicit narcotics trade. The effects of cartel activity spill over into the United States through immigration issues and narcotics deaths. In 2006, the Mexican government applied a counternetwork decapitation strategy to eliminate cartel leadership and thereby reduce criminality in an attempt to ease pressure from both sides of the border. The US supported the Mexican strategy through the Mérida Initiative to build security capacity. However, from 2006 to 2018 homicide rates per 100,000 residents increased in Mexico by 248 percent, while illicit narcotics trafficking and indicators of corruption, extortion, kidnapping, and human trafficking rose. I have shown, using secondary source material and analytical and qualitative methods, the nature of the illicit-narcotics problem and explain why past strategies failed. The problem facing the US and Mexico consists of deficient human security fueled by an illicit narcotics supply-demand dynamic rooted in societal issues and economic underdevelopment. Cartels take advantage of this shortfall. Because the Mexican government misdiagnosed the threat, it applied incoherent and unproductive measures more suited for a Clausewitzian war paradigm strategy. Finally, I identify a paradox in the narcotics legalization argument that harbors significant challenges to successful implementation and holds the potential for transforming a human security problem into an insurgency."
Air University (U.S.). Air Command and Staff College; Air University (U.S.). Press
Martin, Zachary
2020-10
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COVIDcast: Wolf Warriors in the Age of Covid, with Shivshankar Menon and Richard McGregor [audio]
From the Webpage Description: "In this episode of COVIDcast, Richard McGregor, Lowy Institute Senior Fellow, sat down with Shivshankar Menon to discuss the latest currents in Chinese foreign policy, particularly its tense border stand-off with India. Shivshankar Menon is an Indian diplomat who served as National Security Adviser and Foreign Secretary, and also as Ambassador to Pakistan, China and Israel. COVIDcast is a Lowy Institute pop-up podcast for anyone interested in understanding the effect of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic on global politics. In each episode, Lowy Institute experts and invited guests discuss the implications of this crisis for the world." The duration of the audio is 22 minutes 1 second.
Lowy Institute for International Policy
McGregor, Richard; Menon, Shivshankar, 1949-
2020-09-30
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CBP Does Not Have a Comprehensive Strategy for Meeting Its LS-NII Needs
From the Document: "U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) does not have a comprehensive strategy for meeting its Large-Scale Non-Intrusive Inspection (LS-NII) equipment needs at all CBP locations. Instead, CBP uses multiple plans, such as its Multi-Year Investment and Management Plan, and individual acquisition plans for each type of LS-NII equipment it may purchase. At times, these acquisition plans contained conflicting information and did not align with the program's approved lifecycle cost estimate. This occurred because DHS and CBP acquisition officials did not provide effective oversight of CBP's fragmented acquisition planning efforts and did not confirm acquisition plans aligned with LS-NII program objectives. Without improvements, CBP cannot ensure that its multi-million dollar investments in LS-NII technology and equipment will help the component fulfill its mission of protecting U.S. borders."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2020-09-28
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S. Rept. 116-267: Securing America's Ports Act, Report to Accompany H.R. 5273, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, September 9, 2020
From the Purpose and Summary: "The purpose of H.R. 5273, the Securing America's Ports Act, is to enhance border security by increasing the rate of high throughput scanning for commercial and passenger vehicles and freight rail traffic entering the United States."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2020-09-09
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S. Rept. 116-264: Securing America's Ports of Entry Act of 2019, Report to Accompany S. 1004, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, September 9, 2020
From the Purpose and Summary: "S. 1004, the Securing America's Ports of Entry Act of 2019, requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) to increase the number of officers and support staff and to report on any additional staffing, infrastructure, and equipment needed to enhance security at ports of entry."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2020-09-09
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Management Alert - CBP Needs to Award a Medical Services Contract Quickly to Ensure No Gap in Services (Redacted)
From the Summary of Issues: "We are issuing this management alert to advise the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of the urgency and short timeframe to award a new medical services contract to support operations on the Southwest border. During our review of 'CBP's Use of FY 2019 Humanitarian Funds and our ongoing audit of CBP's Policies and Procedures for Detained Migrants Experiencing Serious Medical Conditions', we learned that CBP's current contract for medical services will expire on September 29, 2020. As of September 3, 2020, CBP had not issued a solicitation for a new contract. This leaves fewer than 30 days for the necessary funding and contracting reviews and approvals before CBP can make the award. A lapse in this contract could jeopardize the health and safety of migrants in CBP custody, as well as that of U.S. Border Patrol agents, CBP officers, and staff, especially during the current pandemic."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2020-09-03
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COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: Impact, Responses, and Lessons from Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda
From the Document: "The outbreak of the novel coronavirus [2019] (COVID-19) has caused widespread disruption of lives the world over. In response, governments have elevated the pandemic to the level of national security and instituted measures to mitigate its spread and impact. In Africa, the spread of infections across the continent has pushed African governments to initiate extraordinary responses. These include mandatory quarantines, social distancing, border closures, travel restrictions, bans on social and religious gatherings, and curfews. While these measures have partially contributed to Africa's relatively low infection rate, they have adversely affected the socio-economic and political landscape of most states across the continent. According to the World Bank, as a result of the pandemic, economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2020 will decline from 2.4 percent, as initially projected, to between -2.1 percent and -5.1 percent. As a result, the region will likely experience its first recession in 25 years. Politically, preparations for scheduled elections in 2020 in several countries are under threat. Moreover, some African leaders are instrumentalizing COVID-19 to perpetuate their incumbency, including by shrinking the space for political participation and dissenting views. In light of the foregoing, this paper examines the impact of COVID-19 and response strategies in Africa with a specific focus on three countries--Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Rwanda."
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Frimpong, Osei Baffour; Minani Bihuzo Bin Kakuru, Rigobert, 1960-; Commodore, Richmond
2020-09
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Perfect Storm: Climate-Induced Migration to the United States
From the Thesis Abstract: "From the Mariel boatlift in the 1980s to the recent mass migration of familial units from the Northern Triangle in 2019, the United States has consistently been unprepared to handle mass migration events. With the world approximately 1.0°C warmer than pre-industrial levels, climatic-driven migration events will now challenge the U.S. borders. This thesis explores how the United States might prepare to handle cross-border climate change-induced migration from a homeland security perspective. Using the research methodology of scenario planning, this study assesses the many ways the future might unfold by focusing on intersecting global megatrends and an array of global warming projections in the year 2050. As a result, this thesis finds that regardless of how the world chooses to combat global warming in the coming decades, migration will continue. If the United States is to prepare for such a future, regional agreements and national legislation will be necessary. In turn, if leveraged correctly, climate migrants can help the United States compete with future emerging economies. This thesis ultimately concludes that a proactive approach to cross-border climate change-induced migration might not only benefit climate migrants but also the future resiliency of United States well into the mid-century."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Wright, Katelin M.
2020-09
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Department of Homeland Security: Assessment of Air and Marine Operating Locations Should Include Comparable Costs Across All DHS Marine Operations, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "DHS's operational components, primarily AMO [Air and Marine Operations and Border Patrol within CBP [U.S Customs and Border Protection] and Coast Guard, use aircraft and vessels to secure U.S. borders, support criminal investigations, and ensure maritime security and safety. Since DHS began operations in 2003, it has examined opportunities to integrate and coordinate CBP and Coast Guard air and marine operations, including identifying opportunities for potential efficiencies such as consolidation of operating locations. The FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] Reauthorization Act of 2018 included a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to review DHS's air and marine operations. This report examines, among other things, (1) CBP and Coast Guard air and marine mission activities across operating locations and (2) DHS assessments of components' operating locations for air and marine mission activities."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2020-09
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Facial Recognition: CBP and TSA Are Taking Steps to Implement Programs, but CBP Should Address Privacy and System Performance Issues, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the GAO [Government Accountability Office] Highlights: "Within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), CBP [U.S. Customs and Border Protection] is charged with the dual mission of facilitating legitimate travel and securing U.S. borders, and TSA [Transportation Security Administration] is responsible for protecting the nation's transportation system. For both CBP and TSA, part of their inspection and screening responsibilities includes reviewing travel identification documents and verifying traveler identities. Beginning in 1996, a series of federal laws were enacted to develop and implement an entry-exit data system, which is to integrate biographic and, since 2004, biometric records for foreign nationals. This report addresses (1) the status of CBP's deployment of FRT [facial recognition technology], (2) the extent to which CBP has incorporated privacy protection principles, (3) the extent to which CBP has assessed the accuracy and performance of its FRT, and (4) the status of TSA's testing and deployment of FRT and how TSA has incorporated privacy protection principles. GAO conducted site visits to observe CBP's and TSA's use of FRT, which were selected to include all three travel environments--air, land, and sea; reviewed program documents; and interviewed DHS officials."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2020-09
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Trump Administration's Mistreatment of Detained Immigrants: Deaths and Deficient Medical Care by for-Profit Detention Contractors
From the Executive Summary: "Last year, the Committee on Oversight and Reform initiated an investigation into the Trump Administration's use of for-profit contractors to detain tens of thousands of immigrants. Under the leadership of Chairman Elijah E. Cummings, the Committee began investigating troubling reports of deaths of adults and children, deficient medical care, prolonged detention, improper treatment, and filthy conditions at facilities operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). As part of this investigation, Committee staff conducted oversight inspections of nearly two dozen detention facilities in Arizona, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. In some cases, conditions were so poor that Committee staff warned contractor officials during their visits about deficiencies in the treatment of detainees. For example, after an inspection of the Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia-- which has been the subject of new whistleblower reports regarding 'jarring medical neglect' and hysterectomies performed on immigrant women--Committee staff were so alarmed by health and safety concerns that they raised them directly with the warden during their visit. Following these inspections, Chairman Cummings wrote a letter to then-Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin K. McAleenan that the inspections 'revealed potentially serious ongoing problems with the treatment of children and adults in DHS custody."
United States. Congress. House
2020-09
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Immigration Enforcement Actions: 2019
From the Introduction: "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) engages in immigration enforcement actions to prevent unlawful entry into the United States and to apprehend and repatriate aliens who have violated or failed to comply with U.S. immigration laws. The primary responsibility for the enforcement of immigration law within DHS rests with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). CBP primarily enforces immigration laws along the borders and at ports of entry (POEs) and ICE is responsible for interior enforcement and most detention and removal operations. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) adjudicates applications and petitions for immigration and naturalization benefits. The '2019 Immigration Enforcement Actions Annual Flow Report', authored by the DHS Office of Immigration Statistics (OIS), presents information on DHS immigration enforcement actions during 2019. This includes determinations of inadmissibility by CBP Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers, apprehensions by CBP U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents, and ICE administrative arrests, initiations of removal proceedings, intakes into immigration detention, and repatriation through removal or return." Supplemental data files for this annual report can be accessed here: [https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/immigration-statistics/yearbook/2019/yrbk_2019_enf_excel_final.zip].
United States. Department of Homeland Security; United States. Office of Immigration Statistics
Guo, Mike
2020-09
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DHS Inconsistently Implemented Administrative Forfeiture Authorities Under CAFRA
From the Document: "The Department of Homeland Security inconsistently implemented seizure and administrative forfeiture authorities under the 'Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000' (CAFRA) in FYs 2014 through 2018. Congress enacted CAFRA to provide uniform procedures for civil forfeitures and increase safeguards for individuals whose property has been seized by the Federal Government. However, DHS components used inconsistent processes for administrative forfeitures under CAFRA. Specifically, we found inconsistencies in the forms used to notify property owners and the process for responding to claims. Additionally, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inappropriately used waivers to extend deadlines for responding to claims. These inconsistencies occurred, in part, because components interpreted CAFRA differently, but also because DHS did not designate an office responsible for overseeing administrative forfeitures across the Department."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2020-08-27
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Turkmenistan [Updated August 21, 2020]
From the Overview: "Turkmenistan is a strategically situated country with significant energy resources, making it a potential partner for governments, including the United States, interested in advancing regional stability and economic development. Since becoming independent with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Turkmenistan's authoritarian government has kept the country largely isolated from the outside world and maintained tight control over the economy. While Turkmenistan's constitution establishes 'permanent neutrality' as the core principle of the country's foreign policy, its history and geography underpin a difficult but important relationship with Russia, and increasing economic dependence is driving closer ties with China. In recent years, U.S. cooperation with Turkmenistan has focused primarily on border security issues, particularly with neighboring Afghanistan."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blackwood, Maria A.
2020-08-21
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 5273, Securing America's Ports Act
This is the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on March 11, 2020. From the Document: "At land ports of entry to the United States, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) uses scanning technology capable of producing an image of the contents of commercial and passenger vehicles as they pass through inspection areas. Those systems, known as large-scale nonintrusive inspection (LS NII) systems, allow for scanning of higher volumes of vehicles and cargo compared to physical inspection. In 2020, the Congress appropriated $59 million for CBP to procure and deploy such systems. H.R. 5273 would require CBP to produce a plan to increase the use of LS NII systems to 100 percent at land ports of entry. The plan would include benchmarks for measuring scanning rates and estimates of costs to acquire, operate, and maintain those systems."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2020-08-18
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Evaluation of the United States Military Support of Department of Homeland Security Southern Border Security Operations Under Title 10 Authority [Redacted]
From the Objective: "The objectives of this evaluation focused on the use of DoD title 10 personnel supporting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) southern border security operations. Specifically, we determined whether the: [1] use of DoD title 10 personnel to support DHS southern border security operations was authorized by Federal laws and consistent with DoD policies; [2] DoD's support of DHS southern border security operations complied with applicable Federal laws and was consistent with DoD policies; [3] DoD title 10 personnel supporting the DHS were provided adequate training consistent with Federal laws and DoD policies on the Standing Rules for the Use of Force (SRUF) and on potential reaction to contact with civilians or migrants; and [4] use of DoD funds for DoD title 10 support to DHS southern border security operations complied with applicable Federal laws and DoD policies."
United States. Department of Defense. Office of the Inspector General
2020-08-14
