At a glance
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for a multitude of activities, including anti-terrorism, border security, immigration and customs, cybersecurity, and disaster prevention and management. It was created by combining many individual agencies as a response to the September 11 attacks.
The DHS is made up of 7 agencies and many other components and advisory groups with more than 240,000 employees.
“As the people’s representative and voice in Washington, it is our responsibility to provide a check against the spending and regulatory habits of federal agencies.” - James Lankford
A Path Forward
Created after the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security is charged with handling any threats our nation may face. It is also house the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which is charged with responding to natural disaster. Since its inception as a combination of several existing agencies, DHS has struggled to create a unified mission across all of its disparate responsibilities, handling anything from the coast guard, to law enforcement issues to disaster relief. An agency that has been pegged with having excessive overhead costs should be streamlined to fit today’s efficiency standards. In addition, Congress and DHS should seriously evaluate all DHS programs and priorities.
45.2 Billion Annual Budget
Kirstjen Nielsen Secretary
Budget Growth 2012 - 2016
Annual budget for the federal government
Percentage of Federal Budget
Oversight Reports
Border Patrol Paid A Firm $13.6 Million To Hire 2 Recruits
Border Wall Prototypes Missing Key Information
Safety at Any Price: Assessing the Impact of Homeland Security Spending in U.S. Cities
A Review of the Department of Homeland Security’s Missions and Performance
Hurricane Sandy Claims Overdue, and Not Following Procedure Resulting in Unsupported Additional Payments and Excessive Costs
In 2017, ICE Centralizes Training, Then Decentralizes Training, OIG Says That’s A Mistake
FEMA Faces Significant Challenges Ensuring Recipients Properly Manage Disaster Funds
Public Relations Spending: Selected Agencies’ Activities Supported by Contracts and Public Affairs Staff
FEMA and CBP Oversight of Operation Stonegarden Program Needs Improvement
DHS OIG: PALMS Does Not Address Department Needs
DHS OIG: DHS’s FY 2016 Compliance with the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010 and Executive Order 13520, Reducing Improper Payments
GAO: Important Progress Made, but More Work Remains to Strengthen Management Functions
GAO: Quadrennial Homeland Security Review: Improved Risk Analysis and Stakeholder Consultations Could Enhance Future Reviews
DHS OIG: DHS Contracts and Grants Awarded through Other Than Full and Open Competition FY 2015
GAO: Administrative Leave: Evaluation of DHS’s New Policy Can Help Identify Progress toward Reducing Leave Use
GAO: Homeland Security Acquisitions: DHS Has Strengthened Management, but Execution and Affordability Concerns Endure
DHS OIG: Major Management and Performance Challenges Facing the Department of Homeland Security
GAO: DHS Should Take Steps to Improve Cost Reporting and Eliminate Duplicate Processing
GAO: DHS Should Better Define Oversight Roles and Improve Program Reporting to Congress
GAO: Major Program Assessments Reveal Actions Needed to Improve Accountability
DHS OIG: DHS Does Not Adequately Manage or Have Enforcement Authority Over Its Components’ Vehicle Fleet Operations
DHS OIG: FEMA Could Realize Millions in Savings by Strengthening Policies and Internal Controls Over Grant Funding for Permanently Relocated Damaged Facilities
DHS OIG: Major Management Challenges Facing the Department of Homeland Security
DHS OIG: Major Management and Performance Challenges Facing the Department of Homeland Security
GAO: DHS Needs Better Project Information and Coordination among Four Overlapping Grant Programs
DHS OIG: Major Management Challenges Facing the Department of Homeland Security
USCIS Has Been Unsuccessful in Automating Naturalization Benefits Delivery
DHS OIG: Transportation Security Administration’s Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques
DHS OIG: Transportation Security Administration Office of Inspection’s Efforts To Enhance
DHS OIG: TSA’s Human Capital Services Contract Terms and Oversight Need Strengthening
DHS OIG: The Secret Service Did Not Identify Best Practices and Lessons Learned from the 2011 White House Shooting Incident
DHS OIG: 2014 White House Fence Jumping Incident
DHS OIG: Supervision of Aliens Commensurate with Risk
DHS OIG: U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Unmanned Aircraft System Program Does Not Achieve Intended Results or Recognize All Costs of Operations
DHS OIG: USCIS Automation of Immigration Benefits Processing Remains Ineffective
DHS OIG: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Use of the Electronic Immigration System for Naturalization Benefits Processing
DHS OIG: Individuals with Multiple Identities in Historical Fingerprint Enrollment Records Who Have Received Immigration Benefits
DHS OIG: The Federal Protective Service (FPS) Vehicle Fleet Is Not Managed Effectively
DHS OIG: CBP Needs Better Data to Justify Its Criminal Investigator Staffing
DHS OIG: Special Report: Lessons Learned from Prior Reports on CBP’s SBI and Acquisitions Related to Securing our Border
DHS OIG: Challenges Facing DHS in Its Attempt to Hire 15,000 Border Patrol Agents and Immigration Officers
GAO: TSA Does Not Have Valid Evidence Supporting Most of the Revised Behavioral Indicators Used in Its Behavior Detection Activities
GAO: Firearms Trafficking: U.S. Efforts to Combat Firearms Trafficking to Mexico Have Improved, but Some Collaboration Challenges Remain
GAO: Asylum: Additional Actions Needed to Assess and Address Fraud Risks
GAO: CBP: Improved Planning Needed to Strengthen Trade Enforcement
GAO: Actions Needed to Enhance CBP’s Maintenance of Roads Used for Its Operations
Can you believe the US Government spends more money on it’s cable bill than on disaster relief?