5 Must-Know Facts About the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was established in 2002 in direct response to the 9/11 attacks, making it one of the youngest federal departments with a mission focused squarely on preventing terrorism and securing national borders.
- DHS oversees a massive network of 22 federal agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), meaning it touches nearly every aspect of daily American travel and disaster response.
- The department now controls a budget exceeding $60 billion annually, with more than 260,000 employees—making it the third-largest Cabinet department in the U.S. government, behind only Defense and Veterans Affairs.
- In 2024, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security launched a new initiative targeting 'cyber hygiene' for critical infrastructure, requiring power grids and water systems to report ransomware attacks within 24 hours amid rising digital threats.
- DHS recently faced intense scrutiny over its use of facial recognition technology at airports, with privacy advocates demanding stricter oversight as the agency tests biometric screening at over 30 major U.S. hubs.