Government
According to a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, more actions are needed from federal agencies to strengthen transportation security for risk-significant radioactive materials during ground transport.
GAO was originally asked to review federal procedures over risk-significant... Read More »
U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) chaired a cybersecurity hearing last week to examine various opportunities for enhancing partnerships between the private sector and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The hearing, titled The Current State of DHS Private Sector Engagement for... Read More »
The State of New York recently received more than $5 million in federal Homeland Security grant funding for local governments across the state to enhance counterterrorism initiatives and strengthen public safety-related projects.
The funding was announced by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, U.S.... Read More »
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey delivered a keynote address at the inaugural Boston Conference on Cybersecurity last week and laid out the bureau’s five-part strategy to address various cyber intrusions.
The conference is part of a partnership between the FBI and... Read More »
The U.S. House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday marked up a bill that requires a stress test of various U.S. government protection and prevention programs against potential terrorist attacks.
The Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act of 2017 was introduced by U.S. Rep.... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed near the Laredo Port of Entry recently seized a shipment of alleged cocaine worth approximately $365,000.
The incident occurred on Mar. 2, as agents stationed at the World Trade International Bridge in Texas referred a 2006 Wentworth... Read More »
Special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit recently arrested a former Colombian National Army battalion commander who was wanted for charges of forced disappearance, homicide of a protected person, and weapons and ammunition... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), David Young (R-IA) and Dan Donovan (R-NY) recently introduced a bill to ensure the safety of the nation’s food supply by combating the threat of potential agro-terrorism.
The Securing our Agriculture and Food Act would require the Secretary of Homeland... Read More »
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) SIGMA program, a project aimed at preventing attacks from radiological or “dirty” bombs, recently completed its biggest test deployment of vehicle-mounted radiation detectors in Washington, D.C.
The test, which began last July and... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, along with U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham (R-LA), recently introduced a bill to examine the cybersecurity capabilities of various federal agencies and require regular audits of their progress as more... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) introduced legislation last week to help protect against a terror-style attack on the nation’s agriculture industry and ensure food safety for American consumers.
The Securing our Agriculture and Food Act would require the Secretary of... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) introduced a bill last week to help state, local, and tribal governments to identify, detect, protect, respond and recover from various cyber threats.
The State Cyber Resiliency Act establishes a cybersecurity grant program to provide the... Read More »
According to a recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has made progress in planning for a biometric air exit system and reporting traveler overstays, but certain challenges have persisted in its efforts.
GAO conducted the... Read More »
Fifteen member states of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) took part in a training course last month aimed at preparing each member in handling emergency response to chemical incidents.
The course was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka from Feb. 6-10 and was the fifth... Read More »
Utah’s Davis Chamber of Commerce recently named BAE Systems Air Force Strategic Programs at the Hill Air Force Base as its Innovation Business of the Year at its annual awards banquet.
The award is given to businesses that “demonstrate the ability to drive innovation in their business... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework, Assessment, and Auditing Act of 2017 (H.R. 1224) this week, which examines the cybersecurity capabilities of various federal agencies and requires regular audits of their... Read More »
A panel of counterterrorism experts told lawmakers on Tuesday of a growing threat of domestic terrorism that appears to be coming over the Internet from overseas affiliates of ISIS, al-Qaida and other jihadist groups.
Thomas Joscelyn, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies,... Read More »
The U.S. House Judiciary Committee scheduled a hearing, set for Mar. 1, to examine Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a provision that allows government entities to collect the communications of foreign terrorist seeking to harm the United States.
The committee said the... Read More »
U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the San Diego Sector recently apprehended a known Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang member after he was spotted illegally crossing the border near Potrero, California.
The incident began as agents responded to report of a suspected illegal border crossing near... Read More »
A group of Democratic senators recently criticized a reported plan by the Trump Administration that aims to reorganize U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) efforts on countering violent extremism of all types to instead focus its efforts solely on Islamic extremism.
The group includes... Read More »
According to a recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) needs to strengthen its data collection practices related to the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and aerostats.
The study was commissioned by the Department of Homeland... Read More »
In the wake of President Trump’s Executive Order regarding interior enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently released a “fact sheet” aimed at providing clarity to the order as enforcement is carried out.
The Executive Order,... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers assigned to the Dennis DeConcini Crossing at the Port of Nogales recently arrested a Mexican national after finding approximately $460,000 worth of heroin in the gas tank of his motorcycle.
The incident occurred as officers referred a 32-year... Read More »
U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Douglas Station in Arizona recently seized two bundles of marijuana after being catapulted across the border from Mexico.
The incident occurred on Feb. 10 as agents patrolling an area just east of the Douglas Port of Entry observed several individuals... Read More »
U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the El Centro Sector recently arrested a previously-deported aggravated felon who was convicted of homicide last week.
The incident began as agents observed two men walking north from the Calexico International Border Fence in an open desert area. Agents... Read More »
U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Joint Targeting Team - South in Eagle Pass, Texas recently discovered a stash house where 11 undocumented migrants were being hidden for human smuggling.
The discovery occurred on Feb. 7 as Border Patrol agents, with assistance from the Maverick County... Read More »
According to a recent report conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the U.S. Departments of Defense (DOD), Health and Human Services (HHS) and Homeland Security (DHS) should use existing coordination mechanisms to improve their response capabilities in the event of an outbreak of... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers recently seized more than $1.6 million worth of methamphetamine and marijuana in two separate incidents.
On Feb. 3, officers assigned to the World Trade Bridge referred a 2015 Freightliner M2 truck for a more thorough secondary inspection. After... Read More »
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations unit, along with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Saint Clair County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Coast Guard recently launched a new security initiative called the Port Huron Border Enforcement Security Task... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed at the Brownsville and Matamoros International Bridge recently intercepted a large shipment of alleged methamphetamine, street valued at more than $3.7 million.
On Feb. 7, a 21-year old female U.S. citizen attempted to enter the country... Read More »
Border Patrol agents stationed in southern New Mexico recently stopped two human smuggling attempts during separate incidents.
Late on Feb. 3, Border Patrol agents observed several individuals use a ladder to climb over a border fence near Sunland Park, New Mexico, entering the country... Read More »
In response to a recent report by the House Homeland Security Committee on employee screening deficiencies at America’s airports, Smiths Detection, Inc. (SDI) issued a response to the report’s recommendations and announced a first-of-its-kind pilot project for employee screening at the Miami... Read More »
The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security recently released a report on America’s airports that detailed how inconsistencies in aviation security continue to pose a threat to the public in the fight against terrorism.
The report, titled America’s Airports: The Threat From Within, is the... Read More »
The United States Marine Corps recently invested in a next-generation water purification system, called the Individual Water Purification System Block II (IWPS II), which allows troops to obtain safe, drinkable water straight from its source.
Contemporary practices involve using filters for... Read More »
Adam Segal, chair of the Council on Foreign Relations in emerging technologies and national security, recently released a report that examined the divide between the federal government and the U.S. technology sector.
“In addition to rising cybersecurity threats, the Trump Administration will... Read More »
