Department of Homeland Security

What is the Department of Homeland Security?

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is a federal department employed by the United States Government, which was established in 2003. Although the Department of Homeland Security is a fairly new institution, its inception was prompted as a result of the risk of domestic terrorist attacks in the wake of the events taking place on September 11th, 2001. The Primary concerns of the Department of Homeland Security are as follows:

The protection of American citizens from terrorist attacks existing on American soil

The maintenance of safety and national security with regard to the upkeep of the expressed freedoms established within the United States Constitution

The investigation of any or all potential threats, terror cells, and terrorist activity liable to take place on a domestic level

The establishment of the Patriot Act, which is classified as a piece of legislation that allows the Department of Homeland Security to collect information with regard to the prevention of terrorist activity

Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Safety Administration

The Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) is a branch of the Department of Homeland Security that maintains travel safety with regard to airline travel; in the wake of plane hijacking and terrorist activity taking place on airlines, the TSA has implemented commuter screening processes and measures in order to prevent transportation-based terrorist threats – the TSA has also constructed a color-coding system that illustrates the legitimacy and severity of potential terrorist threat.

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