United States Department of Homeland Security facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
United States Department of Homeland Security

Seal of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Flag of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Nebraska Avenue Complex, DHS headquarters
Agency overview
Formed	November 25, 2002 (2002-11-25)
Jurisdiction	United States
Headquarters	Nebraska Avenue Complex, Washington, D.C., U.S. 38°56′20″N 77°4′59″W / 38.93889°N 77.08306°W / 38.93889; -77.08306
Employees	229,000 (2017)
Annual budget	$40.6 billion (2017)
Agency executives	Chad Wolf, Acting Secretary Ken Cuccinelli, Acting Deputy Secretary
Child agencies	United States Citizenship and Immigration Services U.S. Customs and Border Protection Federal Emergency Management Agency U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Transportation Security Administration United States Coast Guard (during times of peace) National Protection and Programs Directorate United States Secret Service Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Federal Protective Service Citizenship & Immigration Services Ombudsmen Domestic Nuclear Detection Office Management Directorate Office for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Office of General Counsel Office of Health Affairs Office of Intelligence & Analysis Office of Legislative Affairs Office of Operations Coordination Office of Partnership & Engagement Office of Policy Office of Public Affairs Office of the Inspector General Privacy Office Science & Technology Directorate
"The DHS March"

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), commonly known in the United States as "Homeland Security", is a Cabinet department of the U.S. federal government with the duty of protecting the U.S. from terrorist attacks and helping when there is a natural disaster.

In 2002, because of the September 11 attacks in 2001, Congress passed a bill called the Homeland Security Act, which created the Department of Homeland Security. Tom Ridge was the first leader of the Department of Homeland Security. This was the biggest change to the federal government in 50 years.

Images for kids

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  A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer addresses Vice President Dick Cheney (center); Saxby Chambliss (center right), a U.S. Senator from Georgia; and Michael Chertoff (far right) in 2005

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  President George W. Bush signs the Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2004 on October 1, 2003.

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  Organizational chart showing the chain of command among the top-level officials in the Department of Homeland Security, as of July 17, 2008

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  Ready.gov program logo

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  U.S. CBP Office of Field Operations agent checking the authenticity of a travel document at an international airport using a stereo microscope

See also

In Spanish: Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de los Estados Unidos para niños