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What Does the Department of Homeland Security Do on a Daily Basis?

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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was founded just over a decade ago as a means of making the United States more secure domestically. The DHS works with various state, local and tribal governments, first responders, community groups and other entities to counter any domestic threats the country faces and to respond to and recover from terrorist acts.

Some of the key responsibilities of the DHS include:

  • Preventing terrorism and enhancing security. The DHS regularly scans cargo entering from other countries, including packages coming across the border from Canada and Mexico. It screens airport passengers and checks their baggage before they get on their flights, patrols the water near critical infrastructure and resources, and uses nuclear detection equipment.
  • Managing and securing borders. Every single day, the DHS processes approximately one million people entering the country via air, land and sea. It inspects all trucks, trains and ships bringing cargo into the country, detects the presence of illegal drugs and generally patrols borders to ensure illegal entrants are denied access.
  • Overseeing immigration. DHS officials make hundreds of criminal alien arrests every day. The agency also seizes hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of undeclared or illegal currency at entry ports within the country, and processes tens of thousands of applications for immigration every single day.
  • Internet security. The DHS regularly concerns itself with countering matters of cyberterrorism and fraud. It works with private-sector partners and other government organizations to respond to cyber threats whenever they occur.
  • Disaster relief. The DHS provides millions of dollars to communities for disaster assistance and develops programs to protect people and their homes from potential disasters.

If you have been the target of a DHS investigation, it’s likely the agency believes you to be a national security threat. For more information on what steps to take, consult an experienced criminal defense lawyer at the Law Offices of David Jay Glassman. Call us at 215-563-7100 or contact us online today.