Homeland Security Strategies - Research Paper Example

? Homeland Security Strategies Homeland Security Strategies After the United s of America suffered multipleattacks on September 11th 2001, the Bush administration saw the need of coming up with an agency that would both protect the United States of America from being attacked from its own soil and coordinate the emergency response needed in case of another such attack. The Department of Homeland Security was established in November after Congress passed the homeland Security Act in 2002. This facilitated the combination of over 20 federal departments in the United States of America making it a more integrated and effective department. Introduction The United States of America Department of Homeland Security has been tasked with ensuring the security of the American citizens and their property. One might argue that the Department is only tasked with counter terrorism measures but this is wrong. The Department of Homeland Security is mandated by an act of Congress to ensure that the United States of America is safe domestically. The fact that terrorism is the major threat facing not only the United States domestic security, but even that of all other countries in the world, results in the notion among many people that the Department of Homeland Security is only in charge of fighting terrorism. However, the Department of Homeland Security is tasked with five major responsibilities. They include: protecting citizens of the United States of America from terrorist threats, securing of the United States of America Borders, facilitating legal migration and cracking down on illegal immigration, developing an urgent sense of readiness, and finally unification and maturation of the Department (Haulley, 2005). When one considers the five responsibilities then it is safe to conclude that the department of Homeland security is not only tasked with preventing terror attacks but also other threats such as natural disasters. This paper will discuss the different strategies that the Department of Homeland Security employs to ensure that it is successful in executing its duties. Surveillance One strategy that the Department of Homeland Security has used profoundly is surveillance. This is where the department uses agencies such as the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to gather intelligence both domestic and foreign that is viewed to be of national security importance by the Department of Homeland Security. Surveillance techniques such as electronic surveillance have been widely used by the Department to follow and intercept conversations of those who are believed to pose a threat to the domestic security of the United of America. This strategy was rampantly used after the September 11th attacks on the United States of America especially during the Bush administration. This is so since the administration allowed the department through the National Security Agency (NSA) to carry out electronic surveillance of terror suspects without the need of any warrant. This strategy can be considered as one of the strategies that have yielded a lot of positive results in the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security in securing the lives and property of Americans from terrorist attacks. For example, according to the director of National Security Agency (NSA), electronic surveillance efforts have resulted in the prevention of numerous terrorist attacks both abroad and domestic on United States of America citizens (Homeland Security News Wire, 2013). Another way that the Department of Homeland Security has employed Surveillance as a strategy of ensuring National Security is the use of Drones to spy on terrorist groups such as Al-Qaida that operate in foreign countries. Drones are unmanned airplanes that are used by the United States of America government to either spy or attack. These drones have been used to establish the activities of such terrorist groups. The Department of Homeland Security has also used satellites to perform surveillance on its own citizens and foreigners that are suspected of being involved in terrorist activities. This is where the National Security Agency (NSA) is used to track terror suspects through tracing their cell phone or listening to their telephone conversation. Despite surveillance as a strategy resulting in the interception and eventual prevention of terrorist attacks, it has been faced with various challenges and criticism. One challenge that has faced surveillance by the Department of Homeland Security is the fact that quite a number of United States of America Citizens are against it. This is as a result of the numerous allegations that the department has faced that it is illegally spying on its own citizens. The department has been condemned for spying on Americans without warrants and sometimes at the request of powerful government officials who have hidden agendas. Many Americans are lobbying for the illegalization of domestic surveillance since they view it as the violation of their constitutional right to privacy. Another challenge that the strategy has faced is the lack of resources to allocate to surveillance (Essig, 2009). This has been especially the case after the financial crisis of 2007/2008 that left the government unable to fund all its programs fully. Public Education and Participation The Department of Homeland Security has also employed public education as a strategy to ensure that they are successful in ensuring that all the duties allocated to them are executed fully. One way in which the Department of Homeland Security has used public education as a strategy to ensure national security is where they have done campaigns to educate the public on how they can recognize terror suspects and items used by terrorists to carry out terror attacks. The department has done so by providing information on their website on how to detect explosives and the way to go about when one encounters characters who portray characteristics of terror suspects. The department goes further to explain to members of the public how to recognize terror suspects. It has also done this by running advertisement campaign in both print and electronic media which has resulted in the detection of terror cells, terror suspects, and terrorist attacks before it is too late. The department has also encouraged public participation where the public is encouraged to work hand in hand with relevant authorities to ensure the safety of its citizens. For example, on 1st may 2010, two American citizens prevented a terrorist attack on Times Square, New York when they informed the Ney York Police Department about a vehicle that was filled with explosive materials (Baker & Rashbaum, 2010). This was after they saw smoke coming out of the vehicle. Had it not been for the strategy taken by the department of Homeland Security to educate the public, then this would have been a different case. Other areas where the Department has encouraged cooperation of the public and relevant agencies to ensure national security is in immigration where people are asked to report migrants who are in the country legally. International Cooperation The Department of Homeland Security has used international cooperation as a strategy to ensure that United Sates of America Citizens are safe. It has done so through cooperating with other countries’ agencies such as law enforcement to ensure that terrorism does not happen on American soil. This is a good strategy since the terror threat that faces the United States of America does not come from within the country significantly. Most terrorist threats that face the United States of America come from groups that operate in the Middle East. Through cooperation with government from such countries, the Department of Homeland security ensures that such terror groups are dealt with far earlier than such time that they pose a threat to the United States of America. It does so by facilitating programs where it trains security agents from these countries on techniques of counter terrorism (Stalcup, 2006). Another way that the Department of Homeland Security has employed international cooperation to ensure the security of Americans is advocating for a standard system of security on entry points to all countries internationally. This has ensured that explosive devices, terrorists, and illegal immigrants are not sneaked into the United States of America where they can cause harm. The Department has also allowed for international law enforcement agencies such as Interpol to work in cooperation with the United States Government to ensure that terror suspects are tracked and apprehended anywhere in the world. Conclusion The Department of Homeland Security has played a significant role in ensuring the security of the American citizens domestically. Despite the fact that its efforts have been met with a lot of public hostility, the Department should be given credit for its efforts in ensuring that the United States of America enjoys national security. It is through these strategies employed by the Department that it has been able to realize its goals and objectives. However, there is room for improvement. The Department should incorporate more strategies to make sure that national security of the United States of America is optimum. The Department should also use strategies that facilitate the Department’s fulfillment of its objectives while respecting human rights. This will avoid the controversy that surrounds the Department in the execution of its duties. References Baker, A. & Rashbaum, W (2010). Police Find Car Bomb in Times Square. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/nyregion/02times square.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Essig, T. (2009). Department of Homeland Security: A Strategic Approach Is Needed to Better Ensure the Acquisition Workforce Can Meet Mission Needs. Pennsylvania: Diane. Print Haulley, F. (2005). The Department of Homeland Security. New York: Rosen Classroom. Print Homeland Security News Wire. (2013). NSA director: Surveillance programs prevented dozens of terror attacks. Retrieved from: http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20130612-nsa-director surveillance-programs-prevented-dozens-of-terror-attacks Stalcup, G. (2006). Department of Homeland Security: Strategic Management of Training Important for Successful Transformation. Pennsylvania: Diane. Print Read More