United States Department of Homeland Security facts for kids
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Flag of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
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.jpg) Headquarters of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Washington D.C. |
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | November 25, 2002 |
| Jurisdiction | U.S. federal government |
| Headquarters | St. Elizabeths West Campus, Washington, D.C., U.S. 38°51′17″N 77°00′00″W / 38.8547°N 77.0000°W |
| Employees | 240,000 (2018) |
| Annual budget | $51.672 billion (FY 2020) |
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| Child agency |
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| Agency ID | 7000 |
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is a very important part of the U.S. government. It works to keep our country safe and secure. Think of it like a big team that protects people and places in the United States.
DHS has many jobs. These include stopping terrorism, keeping our borders safe, managing immigration and customs, protecting computer systems from attacks, and helping out when disasters happen. It's similar to the "home ministries" or "interior ministries" in other countries.
This department started its work on March 1, 2003. It was created because of the September 11 attacks in 2001. After those events, the government wanted a single agency to focus on protecting the country. With over 240,000 employees, DHS is one of the largest government departments.
Contents
- Understanding the Department of Homeland Security
- How DHS is Organized
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
- U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
- U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
- U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- U.S. Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC)
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
- U.S. Secret Service (USSS)
- U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
- DHS Management Directorate (MGMT)
- DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T)
- DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD)
- DHS Office of Homeland Security Situational Awareness (OSA)
- DHS Office of Health Security (OHS)
- DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG)
- DHS Office of the Secretary (OSEC)
- National Terrorism Advisory System
- The DHS Seal
- DHS Headquarters
- Cybersecurity Efforts
- Secretaries of Homeland Security
- See also
Understanding the Department of Homeland Security
Why DHS Was Created
After the sad events of September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush decided that the U.S. needed a better way to protect itself. He created the Office of Homeland Security (OHS). This office was meant to bring together different efforts to keep the country safe.
The main goal of this new office was to:
- Find and stop terrorist threats.
- Get ready for possible attacks.
- Protect people and places.
- Help the country recover if an attack happened.
Later, on November 25, 2002, a law called the Homeland Security Act officially created the Department of Homeland Security. This new department combined 22 different government agencies into one big team. This made it easier for them to work together to protect the U.S.
What DHS Does to Keep Us Safe
While the Department of Defense handles military actions outside the U.S., DHS focuses on protecting the country from within. Its main goal is to get ready for, prevent, and respond to emergencies, especially terrorism.
When DHS started, it took over the jobs of the U.S. Customs Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). It then split their work into new agencies. For example, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) handles enforcing immigration laws. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) helps people who want to become U.S. citizens or live here legally.
The border protection parts of these agencies, like the United States Border Patrol, were combined into a new agency called U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This helps make sure our borders are secure.
How DHS is Organized
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The Department of Homeland Security is led by the Secretary of Homeland Security. They get help from the Deputy Secretary. DHS has many different parts, each with its own special job. Some parts do the main work, others support them, and some help the leaders make important decisions.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
This agency helps people who want to legally immigrate to the United States. They handle applications for citizenship and other immigration benefits. It's important to know that U.S. passports are handled by the United States Department of State, not DHS.
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. They work on the water to keep things safe. Their jobs include maritime security, search and rescue missions, and enforcing laws at sea. During peacetime, they are part of DHS. During wartime, they can move under the United States Department of the Navy.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
CBP is a law enforcement agency that protects U.S. borders. They stop illegal entries, fight crime, and prevent terrorism. They also help make sure that legal trade and travel can happen smoothly across the border.
U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
CISA is the main agency that helps the U.S. government understand and reduce risks to our computer systems and important physical structures. They work to keep our digital world and essential services safe from attacks.
U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
FEMA helps communities get ready for, respond to, and recover from all kinds of disasters. This includes natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes. They work to protect the security of the United States and its citizens.
U.S. Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC)
FLETC provides training for law enforcement officers across the United States. They make sure that officers have the skills they need to do their jobs safely and effectively.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
ICE is responsible for enforcing federal laws related to border control, customs, trade, and immigration. They work to make sure that people follow the rules when entering or living in the U.S.
U.S. Secret Service (USSS)
The United States Secret Service has two main jobs. First, they protect the President of the United States and other important government officials. Second, they work to stop financial crimes like counterfeiting money.
U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) keeps our transportation systems safe. This includes airport security, making sure people and goods can move freely and safely. TSA was created after the September 11 attacks to improve security for travelers.
DHS Management Directorate (MGMT)
This part of DHS handles the department's money, employees, computer systems, and buildings. They make sure everything runs smoothly so the other parts of DHS can do their jobs.
DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T)
The S&T Directorate is like the research and development team for DHS. They work on new ideas and technologies to help keep the country safe. This includes finding better ways to detect threats or respond to emergencies.
DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD)
This office works to prevent dangerous attacks using chemical, biological, nuclear, or radiological materials against the United States. They try to stop these threats before they can harm anyone.
DHS Office of Homeland Security Situational Awareness (OSA)
OSA helps DHS leaders understand what's happening across the country in terms of security. They share important information and make sure everyone has a clear picture of any potential threats or ongoing situations.
DHS Office of Health Security (OHS)
OHS is the main health authority for DHS. They focus on the health and safety of DHS employees and also work on public health issues that relate to homeland security.
DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG)
The OIG makes sure that DHS is working correctly and honestly. They check for problems and help make sure the department follows rules and acts responsibly.
DHS Office of the Secretary (OSEC)
This office helps the Secretary of Homeland Security lead the entire department. They make sure DHS is doing its job to protect the nation.
National Terrorism Advisory System
In 2011, DHS changed how it warns the public about terrorism threats. They replaced an older system with the National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS). This system uses two types of messages: alerts and bulletins.
- Bulletins share important terrorism information that might not be a specific threat, but helps people stay informed.
- Alerts are issued when there is specific and believable information about a terrorist threat.
- An Elevated Alert means there's credible information about an attack, but details like timing or target are general.
- An Imminent Alert means the threat is very specific and expected to happen soon.
Before NTAS, there was a color-coded system called the Homeland Security Advisory System. It used colors like red, orange, and yellow to show different threat levels. Many government buildings would change their security based on this color code.
The DHS Seal
The official seal of the Department of Homeland Security has special meanings. It shows the department's mission to prevent attacks and protect Americans on land, at sea, and in the air.
- In the middle, there's a white American eagle.
- The eagle's wings break through a circle, showing that DHS wants to work in new ways and not be held back by old rules.
- Like the Great Seal of the United States, the eagle holds an olive branch (for peace) and arrows (for protection).
- On the eagle's chest is a shield with three parts:
- A dark blue sky with 22 stars. These stars represent the 22 different agencies that came together to form DHS.
- White mountains and a green plain, showing the land.
- Blue waves, representing the oceans.
DHS Headquarters
When DHS first started, its temporary headquarters was in the Nebraska Avenue Complex in Washington, D.C. This was an old naval facility.
Later, DHS planned to move all its offices in the Washington area to one big headquarters. This new home is at the St. Elizabeths Hospital campus in Southeast Washington, D.C. The move started in April 2019. This new location helps all the different parts of DHS work more closely together.
Cybersecurity Efforts
The DHS has a special division called the National Cyber Security Division (NCSD). This group is in charge of how the U.S. responds to cyber threats. They also manage programs to reduce risks to computer systems.
The NCSD runs US-CERT operations. This team helps protect the country's computer networks. The DHS Science and Technology Directorate also helps by funding research to find new ways to keep our online world safe.
In 2017, DHS officially said that state election systems are "critical infrastructure." This means they are very important to the country's safety. This decision made it easier for states to get help from the federal government to protect their election systems from cyberattacks.
Secretaries of Homeland Security
The Secretary of Homeland Security is the leader of the department. Here are the people who have served in this important role:
- Tom Ridge (2003–2005)
- Michael Chertoff (2005–2009)
- Janet Napolitano (2009–2013)
- Jeh Charles Johnson (2013–2017)
- John F. Kelly (2017)
- Kirstjen M. Nielsen (2017–2019)
- Alejandro Mayorkas (2021–2025)
- Kristi Noem (2025–Now)
See also
In Spanish: Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de los Estados Unidos para niños
- Container Security Initiative
- E-Verify
- Electronic System for Travel Authorization
- Emergency Management Institute
- History of homeland security in the United States
- Homeland Security USA
- Homeland security grant
- Home Office, equivalent department in the United Kingdom
- List of state departments of homeland security
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), Ft Detrick, MD
- National Interoperability Field Operations Guide
- National Strategy for Homeland Security
- Project Hostile Intent
- Public Safety Canada, equivalent department in Canada
- Shadow Wolves
- Terrorism in the United States
- United States visas
