News
Senate leaders probe issues with Electronic Immigration System that led to citizenship approvals without vetting
Leaders of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee pressed U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for answers on Thursday amid reports that citizenship applications were approved without background checks and green cards were erroneously issued. U.S. Sens. Ron... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate awards $5.6 million to cybersecurity research projects
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently awarded a total of $5,643,466 across seven organizations to develop new tools for cybersecurity researchers. “Cybersecurity research and development, and the ability to develop new solutions will be... Read More »
DHS, DoJ working to improve response to incidents involving individuals with mental illness, GAO says
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DoJ) are striving to improve incident response involving individuals with mental illness, but challenges remain, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) review released on Thursday. Under the 21st Century Cures... Read More »
Friend or Foe tech would screen bacteria for unfamiliar, dangerous strains
Recognizing the threat that unpredictable biohazards could pose, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has proposed development of a new biosurveillance technology that would rapidly screen unfamiliar bacteria to establish their capacity to harm. The program, “Friend or Foe,”... Read More »
Commerce Secretary Ross appoints four members to FirstNet Board
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross appointed four members to the Board of the First Responder Network Authority on Thursday who have backgrounds in public safety, wireless broadband, and network engineering. Richard Ross, police commissioner of Philadelphia; David Zolet, CEO of the Logistics... Read More »
Health and Human Services secretary holds briefing on flu preparedness, response
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar held a briefing this week on preparedness and response efforts for seasonal and pandemic influenza. Secretary Azar discussed his experience overseeing HHS ongoing flu activities and his time working with other public health leaders during his... Read More »
Bavarian Nordic announces success of Phase 3 clinical trial for smallpox vaccine
Bavarian Nordic, a biotechnology company based in Denmark, announced this week the results of a successful Phase 3 clinical trial that demonstrated the safety and efficacy of its investigational, non-replicating smallpox vaccine, IMVAMUNE. The U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious... Read More »
Measure seeks to bolster CBP staffing, resources
Reps. Filemon Vela (D-TX) and Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) recently introduced a bill designed to enhance U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) support, staffing, and resources. The lawmakers said the Border and Ports Security Act would increase the CBP’s capacity to screen passengers and... Read More »
Senators call on DoD to review vulnerabilities posed by fitness trackers, Google Android phones
Revelations that mobile devices can reveal the identities, activities and locations of U.S. service members stationed abroad prompted members of the Senate Armed Services Committee to call for a Department of Defense (DoD) review on Wednesday. In a letter to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, U.S.... Read More »
Spying concerns prompt Senate bill barring federal government’s use of Chinese telecom providers
Amid concerns about potential espionage, the federal government would be prohibited from procuring telecommunications equipment or services from China-based Huawei Technologies Co. and ZTE Corp. under a bill introduced in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday. In 2012, the Permanent Select Committee on... Read More »
UN, Interpol heads discuss global security priorities, strategies to strengthen cooperation
Threats posed by ISIS fighters returning home as the terrorist organization loses territory were a focus of recent discussions between the heads the United Nations (UN) and Interpol about global security issues and priorities. UN Secretary General António Guterres and Interpol Secretary... Read More »
In wake of Super Bowl, Minneapolis-St.Paul Airport TSA sets one-day record for passengers screened
As hundreds of thousands of attendees sought return flights following Super Bowl LII, the local branch of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) set a one-day record for security screenings. In total, MSP TSA screened 60,883... Read More »
OPCW Fact-Finding Mission investigating allegations of chemical weapons use in Syria
An Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) fact-finding mission (FFM) is currently investigating recent allegations about the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic. The FFM’s mandate is “to establish facts surrounding allegations of the use of toxic... Read More »
House bill aims to improve coordination among federal agencies to track, target domestic terrorist groups
Federal agencies would be given new tools to track white supremacist and other extremist groups and to coordinate multi-agency efforts under a bill introduced in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. Under the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act, H.R. 4918, the Department of Homeland Security,... Read More »
Edgewood Chemical Biological Center division recognized for establishing new risk management approaches
The Chemical Biological Test Division of the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center Engineering Directorate earned the Director of Army Safety Risk Management Award for establishing new approaches to laboratory safety practices. Brig. Gen. David Francis, commanding general of the Combat... Read More »
New York man sentenced to 18 years in prison for attacking federal agents, supporting ISIS
A New York man who pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to provide material support to ISIS and conspiring to attack federal agents was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Tuesday in federal court. Munther Omar Saleh, 22, was arrested in 2015 after he allegedly attacked an FBI agent who was... Read More »
Nuclear weapon modernization, environmental cleanup face funding shortfalls, GAO reports
The National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) plans to modernize the nation’s nuclear weapons is not supported by the administration’s budget, and Department of Energy (DoE) environmental cleanup could cost billions more than projected, according to a recent Government Accountability... Read More »
Spending stalemate has costs at Department of Homeland Security
Top officials at the Department of Homeland Security conceded Wednesday to a weariness and anxiety about the repeated congressional efforts to agree to a longtime spending plan, resulting in recurring threats of a government shutdown until a budget is voted. Elaine Duke, deputy secretary of DHS,... Read More »
Lawmakers support Homeland Security lab funding
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) recently joined 10 congressional colleagues in demonstrating support for funding of three Homeland Security labs. Officials said correspondence to the Senate and House Appropriations Committees backs full funding of the National Urban Security Technology Laboratory... Read More »
Science and Technology Directorate highlights role of its Coast Guard Search and Rescue Visual Analytics system
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate recently issued a press release highlighting its Coast Guard Search and Rescue Visual Analytics (cgSARVA) system. cgSARVA, a visual, user-centered platform, helps USCG decision-makers identify boat stations most... Read More »
DHS highlights two-year effort to make Super Bowl LII a safe event, ramp up public awareness campaigns
Following Super Bowl LII on Sunday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) outlined two years of planning and coordination among local officials and 27 DHS entities that contributed to a successful event. The DHS National Protection Programs Directorate (NPPD) conducted more than 200... Read More »
California engineer sentenced for economic espionage
Gregory Allen Justice, an engineer who worked for a cleared government contractor in California, was recently sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to attempting to commit economic espionage, attempting to violate the Arms Export Control Act and violating the International... Read More »
Senate bill aims to establish framework for US law enforcers to access information stored overseas
A framework would be established for law enforcers to legally access email communications stored on overseas cloud-based servers, and U.S. officials would be authorized to negotiate bilateral data sharing agreements with foreign countries, under a Senate bill announced on Monday. The Clarifying... Read More »
US, Canadian homeland security leaders eye raising global standards
A meeting between Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Canada’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale on Monday focused on raising global security standards. Nielsen and Goodale discussed standards pertaining to cyber security, counterterrorism,... Read More »
Motorola Solutions to acquire security surveillance company Avigilon
Motorola Solutions recently announced that it has agreed to acquire Avigilon, which provides advanced security surveillance solutions to a range of a range of commercial and government customers. The enterprise value of the transaction is approximately US$1.0 billion including Avigilon's net... Read More »
New DARPA program would track genetic markers for past WMD material exposure
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is proposing an ambitious new program to counter proliferation of weapons of mass destruction: checking suspects’ epigenetic markers to track history of exposure to associated materials. The program is being called Epigenetic... Read More »
CBP officials hold second meeting with privacy advocacy groups on biometric entry-exit tracking system
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) representatives met with privacy advocacy groups on Friday to discuss the implementation of the Biometric Entry/Exit Program and public-private partnerships being forged to ensure traveler safety. Currently, biometric facial recognition technology is being... Read More »
Homeland Security chooses Booz Allen Hamilton as prime contractor for $621 million cybersecurity task order
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently selected Booz Allen Hamilton as the first prime contractor under the government-wide Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) Dynamic and Evolving Federal Enterprise Network Defense (DEFEND) Program. DHS gave Booz Allen a $621 million... Read More »
TSA deploys 20 canine teams to screen Super Bowl travelers at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) positioned 20 bomb-sniffing dogs at the Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) Airport to handle an influx of travelers in the days leading up to and following Super Bowl LII. TSA usually screens approximately 34,000 travelers at the airport on a typical... Read More »
Treasury Department announces new sanctions on individuals, entities linked to Hezbollah
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced new sanctions against six individuals and seven entities tied to Hezbollah on Friday in an effort to cripple the terrorist organization’s business operations. The six individuals targeted by OFAC sanctions, all... Read More »
DSI event: Joint Civil & DoD CBRN Symposium on March 5-6 in Alexandria, Va.
The 2018 Joint Civil & DoD CBRN Symposium presented by the Defense Strategies Institute will take place on March 5-6 at the Mary M. Gates Learning Center in Alexandria, Virginia. The event will provide a forum for members of the Department of Defense, federal government, private industry, academia,... Read More »
IDSA, HIV Medicine Association capitalize on State of the Union to push for raise in budget caps, DACA action
Pointing to pledges made in the State of the Union speech earlier this week, both the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and HIV Medicine Association have asked Congress and President Donald Trump to raise budget caps for both defense and nondefense spending. Their reasoning is that... Read More »
Researchers calculate expected number of deaths, economic losses in rare pandemic scenarios
A new study published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization found that the global spread of a serious infectious disease could cause 700,000 deaths and annual economic losses of US$500 billion. "Pandemic risk: How large are the expected losses” applied a theoretical model to... Read More »
DEA to data-target opioid prescribers, pharmacies fueling nationwide epidemic
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) will begin to aggregate and analyze data to identify and target prescribers and pharmacies moving unusually large amounts of opioid drugs, Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently announced. Sessions said a “surge” of DEA agents would be directed to the... Read More »