The most useful law associated with homeland security is the Homeland Security Act of 2002. It established the primary mission of the newly created Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The main objectives included reducing the vulnerability of the United States to various domestic and foreign security threats as well as minimizing the damage of terrorist attacks, natural hazards, and other disasters (Wiedemann, 2018). In addition, the Act regulates distribution of responsibilities of various agencies, which became a part of the Department. The primary reason as to why this law is so important is the fact that it led to the re-organization of the government and the creation of a whole separate entity, which was tasked with addressing the entirety of emerging threats to the country’s security.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security is not exclusively an organization targeting terrorist threats. It addresses various dangers to the security of the United States’ residents and the nation’s sovereignty. In fact, it is crucial for DHS to take this all-hazards approach and not focus on terrorism only. By investing the majority or the entirety of the resources provided to the Department on battling terrorism, the nation becomes more vulnerable to other threats, which include natural disasters, cybercrime, economic downturns, and many others.
Instead of theorizing about the possible dangers the “specialization” of the DHS might pose, it is important to look back at the past. In the 1980s, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) concentrated most of its financial and human resources on preparations for the nuclear war (Adamski, 2006). Thus, the capacity of the United States to respond to natural disasters almost ceased to exist. Hurricanes Andrew, Inki, and Hugo led to massive losses, as well as infrastructural and economic damages (Adamski, 2006). The response from FEMA was slow and decentralized as the federal, state, and local authorities lacked the capacity to provide efficient emergency management to the areas affected by the hazards.
The three biggest threats the homeland faced nowadays are terrorism, natural hazards, and the dangers originating from cyberspace. After the tragic events of 9/11, the federal government ensures that appropriate changes were made to develop agencies aimed solely at addressing terrorist threats both within and outside the country. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2020) identifies the main domestic threats as “lone offenders and small cells of individuals, including Domestic Violent Extremists (DVEs) and foreign terrorist-inspired Homegrown Violent Extremists (HVEs)” (p. 17). In recent years, domestic extremists have contributed to the destabilization of the country’s political climate. According to the report published by the DHS, violent terrorist will remain one of the biggest threats, as they will continue to target symbols and individuals based on political affiliation and other factors (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2020). Over the last couple of years, the threat of domestic terrorism has increased partly due to a number of highly publicized incidents, particularly mass shootings.
As for foreign terrorists, they include al-Qa’ida and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS), which have targeted the United States for a while. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2020) reports that despite their perceived threat, both of them will remain active overseas due to the efficient counterterrorist response of the United States. However, these foreign agents will continue to probe the Homeland for potential vulnerabilities, which is why their threat is one of the priorities on the Department’s agenda.
Another important threat to discuss is natural hazards, which are most often unpredictable and especially destructive. Earthquakes, hurricanes, storms, wildfires, and other severe events remain a massive danger to the nation. All of these pose a threat to the health and security to the country’s citizens, as well as economic development and critical infrastructure. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic makes it even harder for the U.S. authorities to respond effectively to natural emergencies.
Cybersecurity is an emerging area of concern for the DHS due to the rise of Internet-based criminals and spies. E-mail impersonation fraud, ransomware, and trade of stolen information are some of the prominent dangers of the digital age. U.S. Department of Homeland Security reports that foreign adversaries often utilize underground online marketplaces in order to get access to confidential information, which may contain key insights into the nation’s strategic economic and political operations. There is an imminent threat of foreign states and non-state actors of using the cyberspace and hackers to compromise and disrupt the United States’ democratic processes, including the elections. Even the mere claims of compromise may lead to changes in voter turnout and perceptions.
The Prophecy of Ezechiel addresses the role of homeland security. In fact, some of the first verses theorize about the nation’s response to a threat from an enemy. Thus, the Bible notes that God puts a watchman, or a guardian, in order for them to look out for danger. The Department of Homeland Security is the watchmen of the United States. However, apart from looking beyond the borders of the country, it pays close attention to the domestic threats.
References
Adamski, T., Kline, B., & Tyrrell, T. (2006). FEMA reorganization and the response to hurricane disaster relief. Perspectives in Public affairs, 3, 1-36. Web.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2020). Homeland threat assessment: October 2020. DHS. Web.
Wiedemann, L. A. (2018). Homeland Security Act, Patriot Act, Freedom of Information Act, and HIM – Retired. The American Health Information Management Association. Web.