News
McCaul addresses TSA indictment of 12 employees for cocaine smuggling
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently announced the indictment of 12 current and former TSA and airport employees for smuggling approximately 20 tons of cocaine through TSA security systems at Puerto Rico’s Luis Muñoz International Airport between 1998 and 2016. The... Read More »
Border Patrol agents discover 11 undocumented migrants in Eagle Pass stash house
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 »
GAO report: DOD, HHS, DHS should use existing mechanisms to better coordinate pandemic outbreak response capabilities
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 »
Senators express concerns over DHS funding, US-Mexico border wall
A coalition of Democratic senators recently wrote a public letter to Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, concerning the diversion of funds from key agency priorities to pay for President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall. The group includes Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Brian Schatz... Read More »
Raytheon begins upgrades to the Patriot Air and Missile Defense System
Raytheon Company recently began work on enhancements to the Patriot Air and Missile Defense System that will make the system more capable and improve its combat readiness. The contract was issued by U.S. Army Contract Command, and was funded by the 13 nations that rely on the system for their... Read More »Hurd appointed to US-Mexico Interparliamentary Group for 115th Congress
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) appointed Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) to the U.S.-Mexico Interparliamentary Group (IPG) for the 115th Congress last week. IPG is tasked with fostering dialogue between members of the United States’ and Mexican legislative bodies on issues of bilateral... Read More »Border agencies stress information, international cooperation in battle with cartels
Representatives of the United States’ main border protection organization were resolute on Thursday in a call to Congress not just for information, but for modernized equipment and continued cooperation with southern neighbors against drug cartels. These concerns were laid plain at a meeting... Read More »
CBP officers seize more than $1.6 mln in narcotics over separate incidents
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 »Port Huron named newest location of BEST program
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 »
Zheng named director of technology policy program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) named Denise E. Zheng as the new director of CSIS’ technology policy program last week. In her new role, Zheng will work on cyber and international security initiatives and expand into new research areas in emerging technologies... Read More »
CBP officers seize more than $3.7 mln in liquid methamphetamine
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 »
Defense Threat Reduction Agency awards Leidos contract worth approx. $170 mln
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) recently awarded a contract to Leidos, a global science and technology company, to support the agency’s cooperative biological engagement program (CBEP), cooperative threat reduction program (CTR), and scientific and technical engagement partnership... Read More »
Border patrol stops two human smuggling attempts in New Mexico
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 »
Raytheon, Utilidata enter into partnership for enhanced grid security initiative against cyberattacks
Raytheon Company and Utilidata recently entered into a strategic partnership to help power utilities protect, defend, and respond to a variety of cyber threats. "With this alliance, Raytheon will expand our presence in the critical infrastructure market by delivering next-generation,... Read More »Congress members call for examination into voter suppression, disenfranchisement
A coalition of Democratic members of Congress requested last week via letter to President Trump that any investigation into voter fraud include an examination of voter suppression and disenfranchisement. “As an initial matter, claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2016 presidential election... Read More »
First responders seek exemption from Trump Sanctuary Cities order
A representative of emergency first responders called on Congress Tuesday to extend an exemption from President Donald Trump’s Executive Order on sanctuary cities so that firefighters and other critical emergency service providers in those jurisdictions can continue accepting federal... Read More »Fitzpatrick urges FBI Director Comey to protect Jewish Community Centers from threats
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) recently publicly urged FBI Director James Comey via letter to investigate a series of threats made against 13 Jewish Community Centers across the United States. “On Tuesday, January 31, 2017, at least 13 Jewish Community Centers across the country were... Read More »
Smiths Detection launches new partnership with Miami International Airport for enhanced employee screening systems
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 »KSU, CSU researchers study domesticated animals and the spread of Zika virus
According to a recent paper published in the Journal of Vector-Borne & Zoonotic Diseases, common domesticated animals such as cattle, chickens, pigs, frogs, rabbits, sparrows, and goats are not carriers of the Zika virus. The paper was authored by Kansas State University (KSU) doctoral... Read More »New Aegis ballistic missile defense system successfully intercepts medium-range ballistic missile target
The United States Navy, the Missile Defense Agency, and Lockheed Martin recently used the latest version of its Aegis Combat System aboard the USS John Paul Jones to detect, track, and successfully intercept a medium-range ballistic missile target. The test, called Standard Missile-3... Read More »Emergent Biosolutions receives task order for monoclonal antibody therapeutics for viral hemorrhagic fever
Emergent Biolsolutions Inc. recently received a task order from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) for the development of monoclonal antibody therapeutics for the treatment of viral hemorrhagic fever. The agreement consists of a 36-month base period of... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Donovan advocates for passage of counterterrorism bills that support first responders
U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY), chairman of the House Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications Subcommittee, recently won House approval of counterterrorism legislation that improves the capabilities of first responders and strengthens homeland security. “My plan is to try to utilize... Read More »
Stefanik’s Email Privacy Act passes House
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Email Privacy Act last week, which seeks to modernize the Electronics Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) to protect American’s privacy while also providing law enforcement with the tools needed for its investigations. The bill was authored by Rep.... Read More »
FBI launches new application to make it easier to find fugitives, missing persons
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently launched a new mobile application, called FBI Wanted, to allow the public to view, search, and filter a variety of issues covered by the bureau, including wanted fugitives, missing persons, deceased victims, and crime suspects. “Since the... Read More »
Border Patrol apprehends previously-deported drug smuggler in Eagle Pass
U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Eagle Pass Station in Texas recently apprehended a known drug smuggler who was previously deported from the United States in 2007. On Jan. 30, Border Patrol agents, along with its investigative partners, located Gustavo Tellez-Rodriguez, who was... Read More »DARPA develops program to halt spread of viruses prior to reaching outbreak status
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently developed a program called the Pandemic Prevention Platform (P3) designed to stop the spread of any viral disease outbreak before it can escalate to pandemic status. The P3 program comes after a years-long effort by DARPA in... Read More »
House Homeland Security Committee releases security report on the nation’s airports
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 »Marine Corps invests in new water purification system for field troops
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 »
New exercise measures laboratory response to malathion contamination in milk, water
The Edgewood Chemical Biological Center’s (ECBC) Environmental Monitoring Laboratory (EML) recently participated in an exercise that simulated a domestic response to malathion contamination in both milk and water. Malathion is a widely-used pesticide typically found in agriculture, residential... Read More »
McCaul releases terror threat snapshot for month of February
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) recently reported in the Homeland Security Terror Threat Snapshot for the month of February that ISIS’ external operations are undiminished and that European nations are moving forward with counterterrorism reforms to deal with the evolving terror threat. “I am... Read More »