Category: Homeland Security

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DHS’ 2025 Homeland Threat Assessment Indicates the Threat of Domestic and Foreign Terrorism in the Homeland Remains High

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

Release Date: October 2, 2024

WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) 2025 Homeland Threat Assessment (HTA), released today, is designed to inform both the public and the Department’s partners of the threats to public safety and security, in order to assist federal, state, and local partners in preparing, preventing, and responding to an ever-evolving threat environment. The HTA describes a threat environment that is expected to “remain high” over the coming year.   

“The Homeland Security Assessment provides an important overview of the dynamic and evolving threat landscape, illustrating just how varied and challenging the threats we confront are,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “It is because of the remarkable DHS workforce, and our close collaboration with our federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners, that we are able to meet the challenges and keep the American people safe and secure.” 

Assessments from the 2025 HTA: 

  • Public Safety and Security: The terrorism threat environment in the Homeland is expected to remain high over the coming year. This is due to a confluence of factors, including potential violent extremist responses to domestic sociopolitical developments — particularly the 2024 election cycle — and international events like the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Lone offenders and small groups continue to pose the greatest threat. Meanwhile, foreign terrorist organizations, including ISIS and al Qa’ida maintain their enduring intent to conduct or inspire attacks in the Homeland. 
  • Illegal Drugs: Illegal drugs smuggled into and sold in the United States by transnational and domestic criminal actors continue to pose a lethal threat to communities in the United States. DHS has surged resources to address this threat, seized more fentanyl in the last two fiscal years than in the prior five years combined, and is investing in new technology to increase detection capabilities. Thanks to these and other efforts, the number of overdose deaths have declined by more than 10 percent in the 12 months leading up to April 2024 – the largest drop in overdose deaths in recorded history. That said, fentanyl and other synthetic opioids remain the most lethal of drugs trafficked into the country and continue to pose a national security threat. Adulterated cocaine and methamphetamine also pose a threat. 
  • Influence Operations and Transnational Repression: We expect the Homeland will face threats to public safety from state actors using subversive tactics in an effort to stroke discord and undermine confidence in U.S. domestic institutions. Malign foreign actors seek to target ethnic and religious minorities, political dissidents, and journalists in the United States to silence and harass its critics abroad. 
  • Border and Immigration Security: Migrant encounters at our border have steadily declined since the beginning of 2024 and have declined even further since the issuance of the Presidential Proclamation and complementary Interim Final Rule (IFR) were announced on June 4 – decreasing more than 55% in the past four months. We nonetheless expect some individuals with criminal connections to seek to continue to exploit migrants. DHS remains acutely focused on identifying those who may present a threat to public safety or national security and stopping them from entering the United States. 
  • Critical Infrastructure Security: Domestic and foreign adversaries are expected to continue to target our critical infrastructure via prepositioning, cyber, and physical attacks. The People’s Republic of China (PRC), Russia, and Iran are expected to remain the most pressing foreign threats to our critical infrastructure.  Nation-states, criminal hacktivists, and financially motivated criminals will likely hone their techniques to disrupt U.S. services or to conduct espionage focused on gaining access to U.S. networks and critical infrastructure entities. We assess that domestic and foreign violent extremists will continue to call for physical attacks on critical infrastructure in furtherance of their ideological goals and, in response to international conflicts and crises. 
  • Economic Security: Our adversaries – including the PRC – will continue non-market policies and practices, economic espionage and coercive economic tools, and illicit acquisition of technologies and intellectual property to undercut U.S. and partner competitiveness. 

Operational components and offices across the Department are involved in combatting threats and working alongside our federal, state, and local partners. Some examples of these efforts include:  

  • DHS conducts screening and vetting of individuals encountered at the border to identify national security or public safety threats and refers any individuals who are identified as posing a threat to public safety or national security to the appropriate law enforcement authority for detention, removal, and potential prosecution. DHS continually monitors available sources of intelligence and law enforcement information to identify new threats and public safety risks. If and when any new information emerges, DHS, including ICE and CBP, works closely with the FBI and other partners to take appropriate action. 
  • In addition to biometric and biographic screening and vetting of every individual encountered, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has expanded information sharing agreements with international partners to enhance their ability to prevent, detect, and investigate trafficking and other crimes. CBP’s National Targeting Center continuously works to detect individuals and travelers that threaten our country’s security, while also building a network of partner nations committed to fighting global threats. 
  • DHS, through CBP and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), has stopped more illicit fentanyl and 
    arrested more individuals for fentanyl-related crimes in the last two fiscal years than in the previous five 
    years combined. 
  • DHS is leading the federal effort to combat fentanyl internationally, through information-sharing, 
    multinational enforcement operations, and global cooperation with federal, state, and local 
    partners and stakeholder to disrupt fentanyl networks within our communities. 
  • DHS has arrested over 3,600 subjects connected to fentanyl-seizure events, which directly 
    degrades the organized criminal networks responsible for bringing fentanyl into our communities, seized over 2,200 pill presses, and seized over 27,000 pounds of illicit fentanyl to stop it at our 
    borders and in our communities before it can hurt the American public. 
  • United States Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) provided over 300 trainings and briefings to over 40,000 participants in the past year, including to state and local law enforcement, government officials, educators, mental health professionals, faith-based leaders, and workplace security managers across the country. 
  • Since the beginning of 2023, CISA has conducted over 1,000 physical security assessments and 700 cyber assessments, leveraging our field staff, including our Election Security Advisors, to provide expert guidance and tailored assistance. Also since January 2023, CISA has conducted over 140 tabletop exercises, and more than 400 trainings reaching tens of thousands of participants.  
  • CISA shares information via multiple lines of effort, from disseminating timely and actionable intelligence and information directly to stakeholders, to developing best practice security products describing risks and how to mitigate them. The Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC), which is partially funded by CISA and membership that includes all 50 states and 3800 local jurisdictions, provides cybersecurity services to, and enables rapid real-time situational awareness and cybersecurity information sharing across, the election infrastructure community. 
  • DHS launched the Prevention Resource Finder (PRF) website in March 2023 in collaboration with more than a dozen federal partners. The PRF is a comprehensive web repository of federal resources available to help communities understand, mitigate, and protect themselves from targeted violence and terrorism. 
  • SchoolSafety.gov consolidates school safety-related resources from across the government. Through this website, the K-12 academic community can also connect with school safety officials and develop school safety plans. 
  • DHS provides funding for state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, nonprofits, and institutions of higher education to establish or enhance capabilities to prevent targeted violence and terrorism through its Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program. On September 18, 2024, DHS awarded $18 million in funding to 35 organizations working to develop and strengthen their communities’ capabilities to combat targeted violence and terrorism. 
  • This year DHS’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) awarded over $450 million in funding to support target hardening and other physical security enhancements to non-profit organizations at high risk of terrorist attack. 
  • In 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 DHS designated domestic violent extremism as a “National Priority Area” within its Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP), enabling our partners to access critical funds that help prevent, prepare for, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from related threats. 

The complete Homeland Threat Assessment can be found and shared HERE. 

The public should report any suspicious activity or threats of violence to local law enforcement, FBI Field Offices, or a local Fusion Center.   

Last Updated: 10/02/2024

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DHS Places First Steel and Aspartame PRC-Based Companies on the UFLPA Entity List

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

UFLPA Entity List Will Now Restrict Goods from 75 PRC-Based Companies from Entering the United States

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the addition of two entities based in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List, bringing the total entities listed to 75. These additions build on DHS’s commitment to eradicate forced labor and promote accountability for the PRC’s ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). 

Effective October 3, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will apply a rebuttable presumption that goods produced by Baowu Group Xinjiang Bayi Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. and Changzhou Guanghui Food Ingredients Co., Ltd. will be prohibited from entering the United States. This is the first time steel and aspartame companies have been added to the UFLPA Entity List.  

“The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act is the Biden-Harris Administration’s most powerful tool to combat forced labor and hold its perpetrators to account,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The UFLPA is catalyzing American businesses to fully examine and assess their supply chains and setting a new standard for our international partners as we work together to eradicate forced labor from the global economy. The Department of Homeland Security will continue to add exploitative companies to the UFLPA Entity List, enforce the law, and uphold the values of the United States.” 

Including the two entities identified today, the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF) – chaired by DHS and whose member agencies also include the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Justice, Labor, State, and the Treasury – has added 75 entities to the UFLPA Entity List since the UFLPA was signed into law in December 2021. The UFLPA Entity List includes companies that are active in the apparel, agriculture, polysilicon, plastics, chemicals, batteries, household appliances, electronics, and food additives sectors, among others. Identifying these additional entities provides U.S. importers with more information to conduct due diligence and examine their supply chains for risks of forced labor to ensure compliance with the UFLPA. 

“Today’s actions reaffirm our commitment to eliminating forced labor from U.S. supply chains and upholding our values of human rights for all,” said DHS Under Secretary for Policy Robert Silvers. “No sector is off-limits. We will continue to identify entities across industries and hold accountable those who seek to profit from exploitation and abuse.” 

The FLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, that the below entities meet the criteria for inclusion in the UFLPA Entity List. One entity meets the criterion under Section 2(d)(2)(B)(ii) of the UFLPA by working with the government of the XUAR to recruit, transport, transfer, harbor or receive forced labor of Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, or members of other persecuted groups out of the XUAR.  The other entity meets the criterion under Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v) of the UFLPA, which identifies facilities and entities that source material from the XUAR or from persons working with the government of XUAR or the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps for the purposes of the “poverty alleviation” program or the “pairing assistance” program or any other government labor scheme that uses forced labor.   

Baowu Group Xinjiang Bayi Iron and Steel Co., Ltd (“Xinjiang Bayi”), also known as Xinjiang Bayi Iron and Steel Co., Ltd., Baosteel Group Xinjiang Bayi Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. and Bayi Iron and Steel, is a company based in the Urumqi Prefecture of the XUAR that is engaged in iron ore mining and steel manufacturing. Its main products include rebar, hot-rolled coils, and medium and thick steel plates. The United States government has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, that Xinjiang Bayi works with the government of the XUAR to recruit, transport, transfer, harbor, or receive Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, or members of other persecuted groups out of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Information reviewed by the FLETF, including publicly available information, indicates that Xinjiang Bayi has repeatedly participated in the transfer and receipt of ethnic minorities from the XUAR, likely including Uyghurs and/or Kyrgyz, through the Xinjiang government labor programs in Kashgar and Hotan Prefectures and Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture.  The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Baowu Group Xinjiang Bayi Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in section 2(d)(2)(B)(ii). 

Changzhou Guanghui Food Ingredients Co., Ltd., also known as GSweet, Changzhou Guanghui Food Technology Co., Ltd., Changzhou Guanghui Food Additive Co., Ltd., and previously known as Changzhou Guanghui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., is a company headquartered in Jiangsu, China, that produces and sells aspartame, an artificial sweetener and food additive. The United States government has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, that Changzhou Guanghui Food Ingredients Co., Ltd. sources material from the XUAR. Information reviewed by the FLETF, including publicly available information, indicates that Changzhou Guanghui Food Ingredients Co., Ltd. sources L-Phenylalanine (a production input used to manufacture aspartame) and aspartame from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Changzhou Guanghui Food Ingredients Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in section 2(d)(2)(B)(v). 

Today’s announcement also includes a technical correction as one previously announced entity has changed its name.  

Changhong Meiling Co., Ltd (formerly Hefei Meiling Co., Ltd.; Hefei Meiling Group Holding Limited), is a company based in Anhui Province, China that is principally engaged in the research and development, manufacture, and sales of household appliances. The company’s main products include refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, washing machines, small appliances, and kitchen appliances. In June 2022, the entity was added to the UFLPA Entity List under section 2(d)(2)(B)(ii) as Hefei Meiling Co., Ltd. with one known alias, Hefei Meiling Group Holdings Limited. Information reviewed by the FLETF, including publicly available information, indicates that the entity formerly known as Hefei Meiling Co., Ltd., has changed its name to Changhong Meiling Co., Ltd. Therefore, the FLETF has determined to change the name of the entity as it appears on Section 2(d)(2)(B)(ii) to “Changhong Meiling Co., Ltd. (formerly known as Hefei Meiling Co., Ltd; Hefei Meiling Group Holdings Limited).” 

The bipartisan Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, signed into law by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., in December 2021, mandates that CBP apply a rebuttable presumption that goods mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the XUAR or produced by entities identified on the UFLPA Entity List are prohibited from importation into the United States unless the Commissioner of CBP determines, by clear and convincing evidence, that the goods were not produced with forced labor. CBP began enforcing the UFLPA in June 2022. Since then, CBP has reviewed over 9,000 shipments valued at more than $3.4 billion under the UFLPA. Additionally, Homeland Security Investigations, through the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking, conducts criminal investigations into those engaging in or otherwise knowingly benefitting from forced labor, and collaborates with international partners to seek justice for victims.    

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DHS Announces $210 Million of Additional Funds to Protect Faith-Based Institutions and Nonprofit Organizations

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

Funding Available Through Nonprofit Security Grant Program Notice of Funding Opportunity to be Published in Late October 

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will distribute $210 million in Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) funds through the Federal Emergency Management Agency as the second tranche of additional funding that the Biden-Harris Administration secured to protect faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations against targeted attacks. This funding will be made available in a Notice of Funding Opportunity to be published in late October.

The $210 million in additional funds are a portion of the $390 million that were included in the fiscal year 2024 National Security Supplemental, a key priority of the Administration as it continues to intensify its efforts to combat the dramatic increase in hate crimes and other forms of targeted violence against faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations. The first tranche was made available in June 2024. In total for fiscal year 2024, the Administration has secured $664 million for the NSGP, more than double last year’s $305 million appropriation.

“Now, when we continue to live in a heightened threat environment, the security-enhancing grant funds we provide to non-profit organizations are more critical than ever,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The additional Nonprofit Security Grant Program funds we are announcing today will enable non-profit institutions, including faith-based organizations that are increasingly targeted, to equip themselves with the personnel, technology, and other resources needed to enhance their security and continue to safely contribute to their communities. We urge eligible institutions to apply for these potentially life-saving funds. We are grateful to Congress for making them available.”

The rise in hate crimes and other forms of targeted violence has increased sharply since the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attacks against Israel. In light of the changing threat environment, the NSGP has become an even more important resource to faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations to strengthen their security posture. In 2024, over 3,200 faith-based and other nonprofit organizations were awarded over $454 million in NSGP funding to purchase security cameras, additional warning and alert systems, gates and lighting, access control systems, and training programs for staff.

The distribution of grant funds is one element of DHS’s multi-pronged strategy to protect communities and their institutions from targeted violence. DHS regularly communicates with over 2,000 state, local, tribal, territorial and campus law enforcement officials and with the leadership of all national-level law enforcement associations. The DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships distributes security resources to over 70,000 faith partners to share resources to enhance safety in local communities, including faith-based communities.

Some examples of DHS work include: 

  • Releasing the “Resources and Information for Faith and Community Leaders Regarding the Israel – Hamas Conflict” webpage in October 2023, which continues to be updated with threat assessments pertaining to the homeland and all relevant resources to keep faith-based communities and institutions safe; 
  • Distributing our Protecting Places of Worship online resources, which we provided to synagogues, religious schools, mosques, community centers, and other nonprofits in partnership with the FBI; 
  • Providing Protective Security Advisors in every state to guide and advise faith communities on how to most effectively secure their facilities with existing resources; 
  • Releasing the Physical Security Performance Goals to help houses of worship and other faith-based organizations enhance their security; and 
  • Tasking the Faith-Based Security Advisory Council with providing recommendations on improving DHS grants and resources, and implementing those recommendations into the NSGP through the Protecting Places of Worship initiative, an effort co-led by DHS, the Department of Justice and the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. 
  • Providing virtual workshops for faith and community sectors during the 3rd annual Protecting Places of Worship Weeks of Action in September 2024. DHS, DOJ and other federal partners dedicated national weeks of action to encourage faith-based and community organizations to safeguard people and places of worship through partnerships with local emergency managers and first responders.  

Funding of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program has been a priority for the Biden-Harris Administration. Historically, applications to access the competitive program have far exceeded the funds available. The Administration’s success in securing $390 million in supplemental funding – resulting in total funding for the program that is more than double last year’s appropriation – will enable previously-unfunded yet at-risk houses of worship, religious schools, and nonprofit organizations to implement new security measures to protect their congregations, students and teachers, employees and members, and their broader communities across the country. 

The Notice of Funding Opportunity will be published in late October. For more information visit FEMA.gov/Grants. 

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CISA Kicks Off 21st Anniversary of Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

2024 Cybersecurity Awareness Month Provides Resources and Tools to Secure Our World and Keep Individuals, Businesses and Organizations Resilient to Cyber Attacks

WASHINGTON – Today, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced the kickoff of the 21stCybersecurity Awareness Month. Throughout October, CISA and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) will focus on ways to “Secure Our World” by educating the public on how to stay safe online.  

This October and year-round, CISA challenges everyone to help secure our world by adopting four simple steps that everyone can take to stay safe online:  

  • Use strong passwords that are long, random, and unique to each account, and use a password manager to generate them and to save them.
  • Turn on multifactor authentication on all accounts that offer it. We need more than a password on our most important accounts, like email, social media, and financial accounts. 
  • Recognize and report phishing, as we like to say, think before you click. Be cautious of unsolicited emails or texts or calls asking you for personal information, and don’t click on links or open attachments from unknown sources.
  • Update software. In fact, enable automatic updates on software so the latest security patches keep devices we are connected to continuously up to date.

“CISA is excited to again partner with the National Cybersecurity Alliance and lead the federal government’s efforts to reduce online risk during this 21st Cybersecurity Awareness month and every month,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly.  “Our focus is working with government and industry to raise cybersecurity awareness and help everyone, from individuals to businesses to all levels of government, stay safe online in our ever-connected world. Protecting ourselves online is about taking a few simple, everyday steps to keep our digital lives safe.”

Additionally, CISA has developed guidance for specific audiences, including:  

  • Individuals and families: CISA is emphasizing the importance of securing personal accounts, offering guidance on personal device safety, safe internet browsing practices, social media usage, and protecting personal information online.  
  • Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs): SBMs face unique challenges, so CISA is working to help them Secure Our World by offering tools and resources that can help boost SMB’s cybersecurity defenses and minimizes the risk of data breaches or cyber-attacks, making not only our businesses, but our communities safer. 

CISA encourages everyone to explore the resources on our Cybersecurity Awareness Month website, which include a toolkit, tip sheets, and animated videos.   

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About CISA 

As the nation’s cyber defense agency and national coordinator for critical infrastructure security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency leads the national effort to understand, manage, and reduce risk to the digital and physical infrastructure Americans rely on every hour of every day.

Visit CISA.gov for more information and follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram. 

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Statement from Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas on the Biden-Harris Administration’s Securing the Border Final Rule

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas issued the following statement on the Department of Homeland Security-Department of Justice joint final rule, following the joint interim final rule that the Departments issued in June. The joint final rule continues to limit asylum eligibility and significantly increase timely consequences for those who cross illegally at our southern border and have no legal basis to remain in the United States:

“In June, the Biden-Harris Administration took decisive action to strengthen our nation’s border security and deter irregular migration. That decisive action – the President’s Proclamation and the Departments’ joint interim final rule that implemented it – has been delivering results: illegal crossings at our southern border have dropped by more than 55 percent. The Departments of Homeland Security and Justice have now finalized the rule, which implements the President’s updated Proclamation. This action has been taken in parallel with other Administration actions that have both increased enforcement and delivered to asylum seekers safe and lawful pathways to humanitarian relief that cut out the ruthless smuggling organizations that prey on the vulnerable.

“In the past year, total removals and returns of people crossing illegally have exceeded the number of removals and returns in any fiscal year since 2010. We have worked with other countries to disrupt and dismantle the smuggling organizations, enhance their enforcement efforts, accept the return of migrants who do not qualify for relief, make irregular migration more difficult, and much more. In parallel, this Administration has taken new and innovative steps to provide humanitarian relief to individuals in need so that they do not have to migrate irregularly at tremendous peril, in the hands of the ruthless and powerful smuggling organizations. This Administration, with its international partners, has built safe mobility offices, increased refugee processing, built new labor pathways, provided new humanitarian relief processes, and increased family reunification.

“Yet, these efforts, impactful as they have been, are no substitute for Congressional action. We cannot provide the greater and more enduring systemic changes that America’s broken immigration system desperately needs because only Congress can do that. Nor can we provide the Department of Homeland Security and the other departments responsible for administering our nation’s immigration system with the personnel, resources, and tools needed to fully meet today’s border security challenges; Congress must do that.

“Our Administration worked closely with a bipartisan group of Senators earlier this year to help craft legislation that would have delivered the toughest and fairest border security measures in decades. It would have, for example, provided funding for 1,500 new Border Patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers; 1,200 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel; 4,300 additional asylum officers; and more than 10,000 additional detention beds. To sustain the progress the Biden-Harris Administration has made, and to build on it, Congress must pass the bipartisan border security bill.”

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FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is On the Ground in North Carolina, Biden-Harris Administration Actively Responding and Providing Life-Saving Support

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

President Biden has Directed the FEMA Administrator to Remain in Asheville, North Carolina Until the Situation has Stabilized

WASHINGTON – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is on the ground today in North Carolina and will survey damage alongside Governor Roy Cooper. Criswell will remain on the ground in North Carolina until the situation has stabilized, as directed by President Biden. 

Today, there are 10 federal search and rescue teams are on the ground right now and another nine teams are on the way, for a total of more than 900 personnel actively supporting rescue efforts in affected areas.  

Health and Medical Task Forces and Disaster Medical Assistance Teams from the National Disaster Medical System continue their assessments in North Carolina for rapid deployment of support as needed. One team has started emergency department decompression at Mission Hospital in Asheville and is treating patients. Another team is moving to Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine to support emergency department decompression mission. 200 federal ambulances have been provided to the state.

To aide with communications, rescue crews are continuing to work in affected areas and utility crews are working to restore cell service and critical infrastructure to restore communications to the impacted areas. Administrator Criswell has directed her team to move fast on standing up communications. FEMA has provided 40 Starlink satellite systems to help with responder communications and additional satellites are being shipped to assist with communications infrastructure restoration. One Starlink will be deployed per county Emergency Operations Center to assist with communications and continuity of government. 

For families and people trying to get in touch with loved ones, they are encouraged to call 2-1-1 or visit UnitedWayNC.org to fill out a request form to add them to search and rescue efforts. 

Everyone should heed the warning of local officials and people should not travel to western North Carolina to keep the roadways clear. 

FEMA has two Incident Management Assessment Teams in North Carolina with additional personnel arriving.  These teams coordinate directly with the state to facilitate requests for assistance.

To ensure communities get urgent assistance including meals and water, FEMA has deployed 25 trailer-loads of meals, and 60 trailers-loads of water to the state to support response efforts.  A C-17 cargo plane full of food, water and other commodities has arrived at the forward operating base in Ashville with a daily flow of commodities established via air bridge. An additional 18 helicopters are on standby to help deliver additional commodities to affected areas. 

There are 29 shelters open with over 1,000 occupants. FEMA Disaster Survivor Teams will be out in the field, focusing on shelters, where they will assist survivors in applying for assistance.  

A generator support package is moving from Charlotte-Mecklenberg to Ashville, with another 30 generators enroute to the staging base in Mecklenburg.

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U.S. Department of Homeland Security Recognizes 173 Employees at Secretary’s Award Ceremony in California

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

LOS ANGELES – On September 26, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) held an awards ceremony hosted by U.S. Secret Service (USSS), where 173 employees received a Secretary’s Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the Department’s mission. 

“Every single day, with great determination, integrity, and skill, the 268,000 men and women of the Department of Homeland Security ensure the safety and security of the American people,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Thanks to these extraordinary public servants, our shores, harbors, skies, cyberspace, and borders are protected; fentanyl and other deadly drugs are prevented from entering our country; communities are able to recover and rebuild after a natural disaster; the scourges of human trafficking, forced labor, and online exploitation are mitigated; and so much more. The individuals we recognize today with our Department’s highest honor, the Secretary’s Award, reflect the very best of DHS – and in their selfless dedication to mission, the very best of public service.”

The DHS Secretary’s Awards are an annual program that recognizes the extraordinary individual and collective achievements of the workforce. The 173 awardees recognized in today’s ceremony represent U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG).

 “In recognizing these outstanding DHS personnel with a Secretary’s Award, we recognize all our talented personnel; the achievements of one are not possible without the contributions of others,” added Secretary Mayorkas. “We also express our appreciation to their families and loved ones; when one serves, the family serves too.”

This year’s award recipients developed and issued policy and procedures associated with a whole-scale transition to a new pay system for TSA; launched a series of coordinated and collaborative initiatives, operations and investigations targeting Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and national security threats operating and transiting through the Darien Gap region; arrested over 8,000 human smugglers, produced over 5,000 intelligence reports, and seized over $38M USD in real property; ensured over 2,300 vital alerts and warnings were provided to owners and operators of critical infrastructure to protect against cyberattacks; among many other achievements. 

This year, DHS is holding nine Secretary’s Awards ceremonies across the country, honoring over 1,700 employees, the most annual awardees ever. 

Last year, Secretary Mayorkas unveiled 12 priorities for the Department, including a commitment to champion the workforce and transform the employee experience. DHS has the third largest workforce of any federal department, behind the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs. The Department is home to more than 92,000 sworn law enforcement officers, the greatest number of law enforcement officers of any department in the federal government. DHS has committed to increasing the representation of women in law enforcement or related occupations at DHS to 30% by 2030. Over 54,000 veterans, or nearly 21% of the workforce, continue serving their country by working at DHS. 

DHS operational components interact more frequently on a daily basis with the American public than any other federal department, from travelers moving through air, land, and sea ports of entry, to businesses importing goods into the country, to immigrants applying for services. To learn more about the impact DHS makes every day, visit: DHS.gov/TodayDHSWill.

Last year, DHS improved the efficiency of processing noncitizens at the Southwest Border, deployed across the country to respond to natural disasters, investigated cybercrimes, created a new streamlined process for adjudicating asylum applications, safely and securely resettled nearly 90,000 evacuated Afghans in the United States, provided resources for organizations to enhance their cybersecurity resilience, established a process for Ukrainian nationals seeking refuge, secured the 2022 midterm elections, and demonstrated heroism by acting quickly and courageously to save lives in harrowing circumstances. 

For the full list of awardees, visit  2024 Secretary’s Awards | Homeland Security (dhs.gov). 

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DHS Statement on Safety and Enforcement During Hurricane Helene

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

During emergency events, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) works with its federal, state, local, and non-governmental partners to support the needs of the people in the areas that may be impacted.

In such circumstances, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) remind the public that sites that provide emergency response and relief are considered protected areas. To the fullest extent possible, ICE and CBP do not conduct immigration enforcement activities at protected areas such as along evacuation routes, sites used for sheltering or the distribution of emergency supplies, food or water, or registration sites for disaster-related assistance or the reunification of families and loved ones.

At the request of FEMA or local and state authorities, ICE and CBP may help conduct search and rescue, air traffic de-confliction and public safety missions. ICE and CBP provide emergency assistance to individuals regardless of their immigration status. DHS officials do not and will not pose as individuals providing emergency-related information as part of any enforcement activities.

DHS is committed to ensuring that every individual who seeks shelter, aid, or other assistance as a result of a natural disaster or emergency event is able to do so regardless of their immigration status.

DHS carries out its mission without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, ethnicity, disability or political associations, and in compliance with law and policy.

For information about filing a complaint with the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties about these matters, please visit our Make a Civil Rights Complaint page.

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CISA Releases Anonymous Threat Response Guidance and Toolkit for K-12 Schools

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

New Resources Will Help K-12 Schools and Law Enforcement Entities Create Tailored Approaches to Addressing Anonymous Threats of Violence

WASHINGTON – Today, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released the Anonymized Threat Response Guidance: A Toolkit for K-12 Schools, a new resource to help kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools and their law enforcement and community partners create tailored approaches to addressing anonymous threats of violence, including those received on social media. The toolkit outlines steps school leaders can take to assess and respond to anonymous threats, better prepare for and prevent future threats, and work in coordination with law enforcement and other local partners when these threats arise. It is co-sealed with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which provided expert feedback on the toolkit’s key principles and strategies.

Social media-based and other types of anonymous threats of violence against K-12 institutions are common. These threats can erode trust that schools are safe places, contribute to losses in learning and instruction time, overwhelm school and law enforcement resources and have lasting psychological impacts on school communities.

“K-12 schools across the country are experiencing a scourge of anonymous threats of violence. School leaders need scalable solutions to navigate these ever-evolving and burdensome threats,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly. “The K-12 Anonymized Threat Response Guidance provides step-by-step approaches to help schools better assess and respond to these threats, as well as take action to mitigate future risks in coordination with their law enforcement and other community partners.”

“Families, students and educators should not have to question whether they’re safe when they walk into a classroom,” said FBI Office of Partner Engagement Assistant Director, Robert Contee. “In the face of these ongoing school threats, the strategies the FBI and our partners at CISA put together will hopefully prepare our educators and administrators to maneuver through difficult challenges. The more parents, teachers and administrators know, the more likely we are to keep our kids safe. The FBI is dedicated to safeguarding schools and communities who are impacted by anonymous threats, but we also want to urge parents to talk with their children about the consequences that come with making these threats. We all need to work together.”

The K-12 Anonymized Threat Response Guidance was developed to provide K-12 stakeholders with information to both protect school communities and limit the disruption and trauma that can be caused by anonymous threats of violence. By providing guidance to inform decision-making about the urgency and credibility of individual threats, school and public safety leaders may be able to more effectively balance the full range of risks faced by K-12 organizations.

The toolkit emphasizes six key strategies for schools to consider when addressing anonymous threats:

  • Build awareness about reporting to detect threats early and deter future threats.
  • Develop a partnership structure that will help address threats. This includes school administrators, law enforcement personnel and mental health professionals.
  • Engage law enforcement to manage threat situations and decide when to scale response actions up or down.
  • Balance initial response steps to ensure the campus is safe. Most critically, treat each threat as credible, and from there, work with necessary partners to determine how to approach an immediate response.
  • When appropriate, tap into multidisciplinary threat assessment teams to support interventions and expedite response if the subject who made the threat becomes known.
  • Take steps throughout the school year to prepare for threats. Establish a response protocol and practice other types of emergency management activities, such as training exercises for staff.

Today’s release also includes a supplemental reference guide that provides streamlined information for K-12 stakeholders to understand and utilize some of the best practices from the full toolkit. Both products were developed to support the diverse range of K-12 school settings across the United States and are based on current practices of K-12 organizations and law enforcement agencies.

The new toolkit and guide were announced at CISA’s 2024 National Summit on K-12 School Safety and Security, an annual event that brings together K-12 school leaders and practitioners to discuss and share actionable recommendations that enhance safe and supportive learning environments.

To learn more and access the K-12 Anonymized Threat Response Guidance, please click here. 

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About CISA 

As the nation’s cyber defense agency and national coordinator for critical infrastructure security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency leads the national effort to understand, manage, and reduce risk to the digital and physical infrastructure Americans rely on every hour of every day.

Visit CISA.gov for more information and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram. 

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DHS Statement on Safety and Enforcement During Tropical Storm Helene

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

During emergency events, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) works with its federal, state, local, and non-governmental partners to support the needs of the people in the areas that may be impacted.

In such circumstances, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) remind the public that sites that provide emergency response and relief are considered protected areas. To the fullest extent possible, ICE and CBP do not conduct immigration enforcement activities at protected areas such as along evacuation routes, sites used for sheltering or the distribution of emergency supplies, food or water, or registration sites for disaster-related assistance or the reunification of families and loved ones.

At the request of FEMA or local and state authorities, ICE and CBP may help conduct search and rescue, air traffic de-confliction and public safety missions. ICE and CBP provide emergency assistance to individuals regardless of their immigration status. DHS officials do not and will not pose as individuals providing emergency-related information as part of any enforcement activities.

DHS is committed to ensuring that every individual who seeks shelter, aid, or other assistance as a result of a natural disaster or emergency event is able to do so regardless of their immigration status.

DHS carries out its mission without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, ethnicity, disability or political associations, and in compliance with law and policy.

For information about filing a complaint with the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties about these matters, please visit our Make a Civil Rights Complaint page.