Homeland Security Strategies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Homeland Security Strategies - Research Paper Example Introduction The United States of America Department of Homeland Security has been tasked with ensuring the security of the American citizens and their property. One might argue that the Department is only tasked with counter terrorism measures but this is wrong. The Department of Homeland Security is mandated by an act of Congress to ensure that the United States of America is safe domestically. The fact that terrorism is the major threat facing not only the United States domestic security, but even that of all other countries in the world, results in the notion among many people that the Department of Homeland Security is only in charge of fighting terrorism. However, the Department of Homeland Security is tasked with five major responsibilities. They include: protecting citizens of the United States of America from terrorist threats, securing of the United States of America Borders, facilitating legal migration and cracking down on illegal immigration, developing an urgent sense o f readiness, and finally unification and maturation of the Department (Haulley, 2005). When one considers the five responsibilities then it is safe to conclude that the department of Homeland security is not only tasked with preventing terror attacks but also other threats such as natural disasters. This paper will discuss the different strategies that the Department of Homeland Security employs to ensure that it is successful in executing its duties. Surveillance One strategy that the Department of Homeland Security has used profoundly is surveillance. This is where the department uses agencies such as the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to gather intelligence both domestic and foreign that is viewed to be of national security importance by the Department of Homeland Security. Surveillance techniques such as electronic surveillance have been widely used by the Department to follow and intercept conversations of those who are believed to pose a threat to the domestic security of the United of America. This strategy was rampantly used after the September 11th attacks on the United States of America especially during the Bush administration. This is so since the administration allowed the department through the National Security Agency (NSA) to carry out electronic surveillance of terror suspects without the need of any warrant. This strategy can be considered as one of the strategies that have yielded a lot of positive results in the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security in securing the lives and property of Americans from terrorist attacks. For example, according to the director of National Security Agency (NSA), electronic surveillance efforts have resulted in the prevention of numerous terrorist attacks both abroad and domestic on United States of America citizens (Homeland Security News Wire, 2013). Another way that the Department of Homeland Security has employed Surveillance as a strategy of ensuring Natio nal Security is the use of Drones to spy on terrorist groups such as Al-Qaida that operate in foreign countries. Drones are unmanned airplanes that are used by the United States of America government to either spy or attack. These drones have been used to establish the activities of such terrorist groups. The Department of Homeland Security has also used satellites to perform surveillance on its