HLS 6050 Final Paper: Implications of Homeland Security on International Organizations

Implications of Homeland Security on International Organizations
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Implications of Homeland Security on International Organizations
The Department of Homeland Security is given the responsibility of ensuring that the United States of America is safe from terrorism attacks. To ensure that it achieves its objectives, DHS uses a strategy that outlines three most important areas that it should focus on, they include; "security, resilience and customs and exchange." These areas are further categorized into five areas: Terrorism prevention and security enhancement; securing borders; safeguarding the immigration laws; protecting cyberspace and resilience in disasters.
The world has become more globalized, and these have changed the nature in which people, goods, and information used to move around the world during the old national borders. Since most of the threats affecting the United States are from outside the U.S, DHS plays a unique role in addressing the security issues, challenges, and opportunities that are being created by the new dynamic environment. Considering the nature of these new threats, DHS is critical to the United States of America's security and it must be aligned with critical strategies that will enable it address these issues.
DHS has to understand the evolving world for it to be able to identify the threats and know the implications of national events on the security of the U.S. According to the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review:
"The interconnected nature of people, economies, and international infrastructure around the world can infuse seemingly isolated or remote events with global consequences. Events at home and abroad generate rapid effects, often in an interconnected fashion, driven by breathtaking technological change and speed-of-light international communications. This accelerated flow of ideas, goods, and people around the world, while vital to supporting and advancing America's interests, also creates security challenges that are increasingly borderless and unconventional." (QHSR, 2010)
Considering the responsibility of DHS and the evolving global environment, this paper is aimed at establishing the implications the department might have to international events. Since the nature of international events differs, the paper will focus on those events that have political and social upheaval. The paper will first provide a background to the Department of Homeland Security. Second, it presents analysis of international engagement and its impact on DHS. Third, it provides the major implications international events has on DHS. Finally, the paper will be concluded by recommendations for future research.
Background
For the context of this paper, this section presents an overview of DHS's engagement in international events.
Most of the USA's Homeland security threats originate from outside its borders. The modern terrorist masterminds operate in cities and ungoverned areas that go beyond national boundaries. These terrorism groups employ various channels to spread their agendas. They mostly use social media to recruit, organize, and plan their operations.
Currently, DHS is operating in more than 75 countries across the globe. To be able to address the threats facing the United States, DHS has developed a strategy of international engagement. The strategy involves working closely with international partners and international organizations in sharing information and strengthening international partnerships and other agreements. These engagements are aimed at combating terrorism, decreasing transnational crime and illegal movement of people and goods across the borders, facilitating lawful trade, strengthening cyber security, providing emergency and response and humanitarian assistance.
To ensure that this engagement strategy is successful, DHS employs various tools that include:
* Capacity building and technical assistance that includes training and sharing of materials and other resources.
* Intelligence and information sharing. This involves sharing of intelligence information regarding any international threats.
* Department of Homeland Security representatives. This involves posting various component representatives overseas for DHS's assignments.
* Humanitarian and emergency response. This involves providing assistance to its international partners during any threats or disasters.
Analysis
This section of the paper provides an analysis of the implications of international engagement on DHS within each of its five mission areas.
Preventing Terrorism and Enhancing Security
QHSR states that "Protecting the U.S. and its people from terrorism is the cornerstone of homeland security," (QHSR, 2010). DHS outlines three goals that will help it achieve these mission. They include: preventing terrorist attacks; preventing illegal acquisition and use of dangerous weapons; and managing risks to the wellbeing of the country. Consequently, for DHS to achieve its objectives, it is engaged in various programs and initiatives aimed at preventing terrorism attacks.
All the components of DHS play a critical role in ensuring this mission is achieved. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Coast Guard (USG), and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) units are responsible for ensuring that terrorist does not enter the United States by either land, air or sea ports. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), TSA, Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), USCG, DHS Science and Technology Directorate, CBP and other DHS components are responsible for ensuring that terrorist does not move materials that can be used in attacks on the United States. The National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD), ICE, and U.S. Secret Service (USSS) are responsible for managing risks in the country. After the attempted bombing of the U.S. Flight 253 in March 2010, the Office of Coordinator for Counterterrorism was established in DHS. It was given the responsibility of coordinating all counterterrorism activities across DHS. DHS does not work alone in fulfilling this critical role in the country. It works with other federal departments and agencies such as Department of State, Justice, and Defense; and FBI to fulfill its mission.
DHS runs various programs and initiatives that are aimed at keeping America safe. Some of these programs include the Container Security Initiative (CSI) in CBP that addresses threats that are posed by terrorists by using containers to move their weapons. Another program is Program Global Shield of ICE which is responsible for preventing precursor chemicals from being stolen by terrorists. Other programs that are aimed at ensuring those people who may pose threats to the United States include Visa Security Program and Passenger Name Records.
Implication of International Events on Counterterrorism Mission
Several issues regarding this mission stem out when DHS engages itself in international events, and they may have both short-term and long-term effects to the department. Some of them include understanding the importance of intelligence and information sharing; understanding the nature of threats; recognizing how upheavals may allow terrorists to acquire dangerous weapons; and knowing how these events affect the spread of terrorism acts and radicalization.
Engaging in international events allows the department to understand how the nature of threats is changing in the evolving global environment. Terrorist militia groups are relocating to different locations of the world. Some of these groups have undergone, and other are undergoing through different power shifts. The pressure put on them has been and is being interrupted by instability in both countries and governments. The 2012 Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community notes "The unrest potentially provides terrorists inspired by the global jihadist movement more operating space, as security services focus more on internal security and, in some cases, undergo transformations in make-up and orientation.," (Clapper, 2012 as quoted during 2012 Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community).
Another important effect is how the information and intelligence are affected by the event. This can be established by assessing whether there is a decrease in incredible information and intelligence that is available to the department. The available information is about threats and other information that can guide DHS to guide its operations. To ensure the information shared is credible, DHS must ensure that it utilizes the information it obtains from its field personnel.
Another implication to the Counterterrorism mission is the control of persons and weapons. During upheavals and unrests, it is easy for terrorists to acquire dangerous weapons. The Syrian and Libyan events were some of the events. The Syrian event is still ongoing despite other countries taking part in ensuring that unrest is contained. The following example illustrates how the Syrian event is a major threat to the U.S.
"The future status of Syrian chemical weapons has become a major worry also for the United States, which is pressing nations bordering Syria to be attentive for unconventional and conventional arms that might be smuggled into their territories. Syria is believed to have substantially a larger and operational chemical weapons program than Libya," (Ely, 2012).
Consequently, the conflict in Syria has the capabilities of increasing the threat of biological and chemical weapons, which may be available to the terrorists. Therefore, DHS must establish whether their involvement in international events has any impact on its efforts of preventing terrorists from accessing dangerous weapons.
An implication that DHS must assess when it gets involved in international events towards the mission of keeping America safe is the impact of those events in its goal of preventing the spread of terrorism. The available literature suggests that upheavals create a good environment for terrorist recruitment and radicalization. Some of the literature also suggests that this is due to the interruption of pressure exerted on terrorist groups since it gives them more opportunities of recruiting and radicalizing new members. The DHS must know how these events may impact the diaspora populations within the U.S. and how the country may be impacted by this.
Securing and Managing U.S. Borders
DHS provides a comprehensive approach to border security. It strives to achieve this mission by focusing on three major goals: controlling U.S land, air, and sea borders; ensuring lawful trade and travel; and destroying terrorist groups. This mission is a big challenge due since it involves threats that originate beyond U.S. borders which require collaborations with other international partners. The prevention of illegal movement of dangerous people and goods requires a common understanding of the threat by both the international partners and the U.S. Through DHS's components, it can manage home and overseas borders through various international engagement tools. These tools include those that are used in counterterrorism. This involves having various representatives of the various DHS components
Impacts of International Events
International events have vario...