Summary

Hurricane Katrina resulted in significant change to the Department of Homeland Security, both in its focus and structure. And so DHS would evolve with each new Challenge faced by each new Secretary. What began as a consolidation of 169,000 employees from across 22 Federal agencies now encompasses 240,000 employees belonging to 23 different agencies located across the nation and around the world. Even so, the tasks of homeland security extend well beyond the Department itself. What it can’t do by itself directly, DHS helps coordinate across government, industry, and even down to individual citizens in what is called the Homeland Security Enterprise. The Department of Homeland Security guides the Homeland Security Enterprise to accomplish its five core missions: 1) Prevent Terrorism and Enhance Security, 2) Secure and Mange Our Borders, 3) Enforce and Administer Immigration Laws, 4) Safeguard and Secure Cyberspace, and 5) Ensure Resilience to Disasters. Among Federal agencies, Homeland Security Strategy is coordinated through the offices of the Homeland Security Council working together with the National Security Council within the Executive Office of the President.