Terrorism

IHA #4
Casi Cooper
Tri-County Technical College

Part 1A: Question 1

The Department of Homeland Security centralizes around keeping the United States a safe place. This involves writing and enforcing new laws and policies, fighting and deterring crime, and preventing terrorism, among other things. Homeland security is about protecting the freedoms we’re allotted in the United States, while also ensuring citizens are safe (Department of Homeland Security, 2017). To keep Americans safe, policies and systems must be implemented to stop attacks and prevent our resources from being exhausted. In addition, homeland security keeps the United States prepared for natural disasters. Today’s policies and systems are set in place to avoid events like 9/11 and to better prepare for natural disasters, much like Hurricane Katrina, to save lives and prevent damage. The role of homeland security is constantly evolving to keep up with the needs of the country.

Part 1B: Question 1

United States Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security. Border patrol employees manage, control, and protect the nation’s border. The primary goals are anti-terrorism and facilitating legitimate trade and travel. Additionally, Border Patrol works to protect the U.S from acts of terrorism and reduce the vulnerability to the threat of terrorists through a multi-level inspection process. They are also responsible for preventing the transportation of drugs, illegal immigrants, traffickers, prohibited agricultural products and counterfeit goods, money, and intellectual goods across the border. Most Border Patrol employees consist of personnel who were formerly with the U.S customs, U.S Immigration, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the entire U.S Border Patrol. 

Part 2A: Question 2

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the U.S. government’s main law-enforcement and domestic intelligence agency. The role of the FBI, involving counterterrorism has expanded since the terrorist attacks on 9/11. he Justice Department’s top strategic goal is to “prevent terrorism,” which is reflected in how the FBI allocates resources among its nearly thirty-five thousand employees; in 2015 the agency had more than twelve thousand employees working on counterterrorism and counterintelligence, as well as nearly seven thousand working on intelligence (Council on Foreign Relations, 2017). The FBI, however, still covers a wide range of national security matters, as well as organized crime, white-collar crime, public corruption, and civil-rights violations. Without a legislative contract, the FBI’s mandate has grown over the past century, as has federal law. Its priorities and policies have been formed by legislation, executive branch directives. The mission of the FBI's counterterrorism program is to detect, deter, prevent, and respond to terrorist actions that threaten U.S. interests at home or abroad. Along with these obligations, the FBI has a responsibility to coordinate efforts with local, state, federal, and foreign entities. The counterterrorism responsibilities of the FBI include the investigation of domestic and international terrorism. As events during the past several years demonstrate, both domestic and international terrorist organizations represent threats within the borders of the US (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2017).

Part 2B: Question 2

According to the website FEMA.gov, FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2017).

Part 3A: Question 3

The September 11, 2001 terror attack dramatically changed the direction of emergency management in the United States. After the attack, the United States developed the Department of Homeland Security and downgraded FEMA, whose main duty was civil protection. This attracted criticism from some public administration experts that the U.S. government concentrated too much on terrorism. Basically, the United States changed the direction of its emergency management from civil protection back to Cold War civil defense. After Hurricane Katrina, Assistance from the federal government was delayed and insufficient, and people died while awaiting rescue or other assistance. Currently, there is too great a focus on counter-terrorism destabilized capacities for natural disaster mitigation, response.