Advanced search Help
Searching for terms: ALL (Border AND Security) in: title or summary
Clear all search criteria
Only 2/3! You are seeing results from the Public Collection, not the complete Full Collection. Sign in to search everything (see eligibility).
-
State of Diversity and Inclusion in Europe: Race, Rights, and Politics, Hearing Before the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, First Session, September 11, 2019
This is the September 11, 2019 hearing on "State of Diversity and Inclusion in Europe: Race, Rights, and Politics," held before the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. From the opening statement of Gwen Moore: "This hearing today, in context, is taking place at a time when we are receiving numerous reports from Europe of hate crimes and acts of extremism, racial profiling in cities and at borders, and discrimination at work and in the schools. The OSCE [Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe] has reported close to 6,000 hate crimes in Europe over the past year[.] [...] Americans are also impacted by disparate treatment and related violence in Europe. For years we've received reports that our diverse military and diplomats serving in Europe, students studying
abroad, and tourists have all been the targets of discrimination, from being refused service in restaurants, or in the worst cases being the tragic victims of hate crimes.[...] [I]ncreasingly, citizens in our democracies are turning against one another and people from other places simply because they look, pray, love, or think
differently than someone else. And it's critical that we reaffirm democratic values by challenging rising prejudice and violence with strategies for inclusion." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, Romeo Franz, Evin Incir, Samira Rafaela, Alfiaz Vaiya, Domenica Ghidei Biidu, Irene Appiah, Daniele Obono, and Olivier Serva.
United States. Government Publishing Office
2021
-
Review of the Department of Justice's Planning and Implementation of Its Zero Tolerance Policy and Its Coordination with the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services
From the Executive Summary Introduction: "On April 6, 2018, then Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ, Department) had adopted a 'zero tolerance policy' for immigration offenses involving illegal entry and attempted illegal entry into the United States. The policy required each U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) on the Southwest border to prosecute all referrals for illegal entry violations, including misdemeanors, referred by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 'to the extent practicable, and in consultation with DHS.' [...] In July 2018, multiple members of Congress requested that the DOJ Office of the Inspector General (OIG) review the Department's role in the creation and implementation of the zero tolerance policy. The OIG conducted this review to assess the Department's planning for and implementation of the zero tolerance policy, including its internal coordination with the Southwest border USAOs, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and with DHS and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Consistent with the Inspector General Act of 1978, this review does not substitute the OIG's judgment for the judgments made by DOJ leadership regarding the substantive merits of the zero tolerance policy."
United States. Department of Justice. Office of the Inspector General
2021-01
-
Way Forward on Homeland Security, Hearing Before the Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, March 17, 2021
This is the March 17, 2021 hearing on "The Way Forward on Homeland Security," held before the House Committee on Homeland Security. From the opening statement of Bennie G. Thompson: "Just as President Trump made DHS less able to carry out its mission, his failed policies also made the homeland less secure. He downplayed the threat of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], despite the warnings of doctors and scientists, left States to fend for themselves to obtain testing supplies and PPE [personal protective equipment], and failed to implement a National vaccine distribution plan. He sided with Putin and Russia over our own intelligence community, even though our adversary meddled in our elections and hacked into our computer systems. He helped fuel the rise of domestic terrorism in America and incited right-wing violent extremists to attack the United States Capitol. Americans continue to pay the price for these failures, with over half a million dead from COVID-19, experts struggling to understand the scope of the SolarWinds hack, and an unprecedented surge in domestic terrorism. Secretary Mayorkas and the 240,000 dedicated, hard-working men and women of DHS are left to deal with the mess the last administration left behind. This will be no easy task, and Congress should be focused on ensuring the Department has the resources and authorities to do so. [...] Clearly, more will have to be done to respond to this situation while upholding our values. What we must not do is return to the morally bankrupt policies of the last administration toward children. [...] For its part, the Biden administration is working to rebuild DHS, reform our Nation's homeland security policy, and address the situation at the border while upholding our values. However, it cannot be expected to repair in a matter of weeks everything President Trump destroyed over 4 years." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Alejandro Mayorkas.
United States. Government Publishing Office
2021
-
Review of the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Request for the Department of Homeland Security, Hearing Before the Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, June 17, 2021
This is the June 17, 2021 hearing on "A Review of the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Request for the Department of Homeland Security," held before the House Committee on Homeland Security. From the opening statement of Bennie G. Thompson: "Overall, the Biden administration is requesting $52 billion for DHS, roughly equal to the fiscal year 2021 funding level. Though there is always room for improvement, the administration's request would provide the Department with the resources necessary to meet its diverse and ever-evolving mission. The request prioritizes funding to improve Federal cybersecurity, respond to heightened domestic terrorism threats, and enhance border capabilities. It invests in creating a fairer and more equitable immigration system, preparing local communities for the effects of natural disasters, and revitalizing the Department's research and development capabilities. It further seeks to strengthen National resiliency in these critical areas. Many of these homeland security priorities were all but ignored by the last administration. I am pleased the Biden administration is giving these matters the attention and resources they demand." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Alejandro N. Mayorkas.
United States. Government Publishing Office
2021
-
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2020, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Homeland Security of the Committee on Appropriations, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, First Session, May 2, 2019
This is the May 2, 2019 hearing on "Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2020," held before the Subcommittee on Homeland Security of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations. From the opening statement of Shelly Moore Capito: "We are holding this hearing in the wake of yesterday's request for supplemental appropriations to address the security and humanitarian crisis at the Southwest border. I know that the number of apprehensions of illegal border crossers continues to climb. Customs and Border Protection took more than 100,000 individuals into custody in the month of March, and we expect that number to be dramatically higher for April. Despite some who tried to call this a manufactured crisis, these are undeniably historic numbers. Yesterday's request included a $1.1 billion for the Department of Homeland Security to help address this crisis. It suggested additional resources that may be needed to humanely process and detain those who are crossing our border illegally, and to support the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security as they surge to address this crisis." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Kevin McAleenan, and Chip Fulghum.
United States. Government Publishing Office
2021?
-
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
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
-
Report on Internal Investigations and Employee Accountability, Fiscal Year 2021
From the Introduction: "As the United States' unified border entity and largest law enforcement agency, CBP [U.S. Customs and Border Protection] takes a comprehensive approach to border management and control, combining border security, immigration, trade, and agriculture protection into one coordinated mission. The workforce is comprised of 64,000 employees including law enforcement personnel and civilians working in administrative, professional, technical, and scientific positions. Operating in such a complex threat environment requires tremendous focus and a commitment to the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. The conduct of our employees, both on and off duty, forms the basis of public trust. The American people have entrusted us to protect the homeland and much of what we do draws high levels of public attention and scrutiny. Guided by the highest ethical and moral principles, and exhibiting the highest level of professional responsibility, CBP employees strive to maintain public trust and confidence of the communities we serve and protect. However, like all border agencies in the world, CBP remains vulnerable to the potential for corruption and misconduct within its workforce. CBP takes all allegations of misconduct seriously, investigates thoroughly, and holds employees accountable when policies are violated."
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
2021
-
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: Fiscal Year 2020 Enforcement and Removal Operations Report
From the Executive Summary: "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) shares responsibility for administering and enforcing the nation's immigration laws with ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), as well as other Department of Homeland Security (DHS) component agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). ICE ERO is responsible for protecting the homeland through the arrest, detention, and removal of aliens who undermine public safety or the integrity of United States immigration laws, and its main areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency's detained population nationwide, and repatriation of aliens who have received a final order of removal. [...] This report presents ICE ERO's FY 2020 year-end statistics in the following areas: Custody and Case Management, Administrative and Criminal Arrests, ICE Detainers, and Removals."
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
2020-12-23?
-
Lawsuits Against the Federal Government: Basic Federal Court Procedure and Timelines [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Document: "Many federal laws and policy initiatives are challenged in court. In recent years, for instance, plaintiffs have brought cases challenging the Department of Homeland Security's rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the Secretary of Commerce's decision to include a citizenship question on the 2020 Census, and the President's decision to expend certain funds to construct a 'border wall.' Because the defendant in these cases is the United States or an executive official, the cases generally proceed in federal court. By understanding the procedures governing federal court litigation, legislators can consider potential outcomes, estimate timelines, and appreciate the importance of a court's ruling at a particular stage. This In Focus reviews the most common procedures that govern civil suits against the federal government, tracing the path from federal district court to the Supreme Court."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lampe, Joanna R.
2020-12-22
-
National Maritime Domain Awareness Plan for the National Strategy for Maritime Security [December 2020]
From the Executive Summary: "'Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA)' is the effective understanding of anything associated with the maritime domain that could impact the security, safety, economy, or environment of the United States. The 'Maritime Domain' is all areas and things of, on, under, relating to, adjacent to, or bordering on a sea, ocean, or other navigable waterway, including all maritime-related activities, infrastructure, people, cargo, vessels, and other conveyances. This Plan provides the context to understand the importance of MDA to maritime security and why it is imperative to enhance MDA. It will empower the U.S. Government to understand the characteristics of the current maritime domain, identify the strategic approach we seek to employ, clarify our strategic and foundational priorities, and develop an implementation plan to improve MDA that enables decision-makers to perform their responsibilities consistent with Presidential Policy Directive 18 (PPD-18) and the National Strategy for Maritime Security (NSMS). This Plan promotes sustaining favorable conditions for global maritime security and prosperity. This is accomplished through the effective understanding of the maritime domain and by improving our ability to appropriately share maritime information, including intelligence, law enforcement information, and all-source data from the public and private sectors. The concept of maritime intelligence integration serves as a foundational and, therefore, necessary priority for the effective understanding of the maritime domain."
National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office (U.S.)
2020-12-18
-
S. Rept. 116-322: Southwest Border Security Technology Improvement Act of 2020, Report to Accompany S. 4224, December 14, 2020
From the Purpose and Summary: "The purpose of S. 4224, the Southwest Border Security Technology Improvement Act of 2020, is to analyze the technology used along the southwest border and provide Congress a better understanding of how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS or Department) makes technology decisions and what other technological solutions may be needed to improve border security, both at ports of entry and between ports of entry. If enacted, this bill will provide a comprehensive assessment of available technological advancements and how they can be better leveraged to address DHS' needs with respect to combating illegal activity and facilitating lawful trade and travel."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2020-12-14
-
S. Rept. 116-312: Securing America's Borders Act of 2019, Report to Accompany S. 2162, December 14, 2020
From the Purpose and Summary: "This bill requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to hire at least 600 Border Patrol agents above attrition levels each year until the number of Border Patrol agents reaches and sustains 26,370 agents. This bill also allows CBP to hire additional support staff for Border Patrol and to utilize special hiring authorities and pay incentives for CBP officers in rural and remote locations, and requires CBP to provide Congress with quarterly reporting on Border Patrol workforce metrics. In addition, CBP must update and submit the comprehensive staffing analysis for Border Patrol mandated in the Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act of 2014."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2020-12-14
-
U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Powers and Limitations: A Brief Primer [December 9, 2020]
From the Document: "U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), enforces federal customs and immigration laws at or near the international border and at U.S. ports of entry. Congress has established a comprehensive framework enabling CBP officers to inspect, search, and detain individuals to ensure their entry and any goods they import conform to these governing laws. That authority is not absolute. The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits government searches and seizures that are not reasonable. While the government has broader latitude to conduct searches at the border than in the interior of the United States, these searches must still satisfy Fourth Amendment requirements. This Legal Sidebar briefly explains CBP's customs and immigration enforcement powers and the constitutional limitations to that authority."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Smith, Hillel R.
2020-12-09
-
U.S. Customs and Border Protection: Strategy 2021-2026
From the Executive Summary: "The updated 'CBP [Customs and Border Protection] Strategy 2021-2026' introduces new Mission and Vision statements that describe our commitment to a safer and more prosperous nation and a set of Enduring Mission Priorities that describe our core missions in a succinct and meaningful way. The Strategy remains committed to a set of twelve Strategic Objectives as the key areas where CBP will focus its efforts and lays out specific activities and outcomes that must be achieved. [...] The 'CBP Strategy 2021-2026' also introduces the Enduring Mission Priorities which describe the reasons CBP exists as an agency and how we prioritize our responsibilities. The events driving the creation of the Department of Homeland Security led to the inclusion of 'Countering Terrorism,' and one of CBP's primary missions will always be protecting the Homeland from future terrorist attacks. A more recent focus of CBP, which increases in prominence every year, is 'Combat Transnational Crime.' CBP will also continue to focus on its core functional missions of 'Securing the Border,' 'Facilitating Travel' and 'Facilitating Trade and Protecting Revenue.'"
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
2020-12
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
DHS Run Amok? A Reckless Overseas Operation, Violations, and Lies
From the Introduction: "Since assuming office, President Donald Trump and his administration have made curbing irregular migration a near singular focus of U.S. foreign policy towards Central America. President Trump's fixation on addressing irregular migration has undermined the Department of State's traditional role as the principal steward of U.S. foreign policy in the region, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has assumed unprecedented influence over foreign policy towards Central America. This paradigm shift has led to troubling consequences. In January 2020, Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) Democratic Staff uncovered a disturbing incident in which DHS misused State Department funding to carry out an unauthorized operation. Specifically, CBP personnel in Guatemala transported an unidentified number of Honduran migrants in unmarked vans to relocate them to the Guatemala-Honduras border. [...] This report reviews the troubling January 2020 incident and makes recommendations for Congress and the State Department to prevent similar events in the future. It also calls on the State Department and DHS Inspectors General to thoroughly investigate this matter."
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations
2020-10-13
-
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
-
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
-
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
