News
New joint report highlights projects to advanced key nuclear nonproliferation objectives between the US, Russia
The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), along with the Moscow-based Center for Energy and Security Studies (CENESS), recently released a report highlighting 50 projects that advance key nuclear nonproliferation objectives for the United States and Russia across five thematic areas. The report,... Read More »Bipartisan bill introduced in Senate to stop terrorist financing
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced last week the Stop Terrorists Operational Resources and Money (STORM) Act of 2017, which seeks to provide the president additional leverage in penalizing foreign governments that fail to stop terrorist financing. The bill was authored by Sens.... Read More »
Border agents seize bundles of marijuana catapulted near Douglas Port of Entry
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 »
Federal government must strengthen US cybersecurity capabilities, according to GAO
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report stating that the federal government needs to strengthen its capabilities regarding cybersecurity and protecting the privacy of personally-identifiable information. GAO conducted the study to provide an overview of the... Read More »FLIR Systems awarded $50 mln contract for marine electronics systems for US Coast Guard vessels
FLIR Systems, Inc. was recently awarded an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract worth approximately $50 million to provide marine electronics systems under the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) Scalable Integrated Navigation Systems 2 (SINS-2) program. The contract covers a five-year... Read More »
Bill to track cybersecurity skills of National Guard, Reserve members introduced in House, Senate
A group of U.S. House members recently introduced the Department of Defense Emergency Response Capabilities Database Enhancement Act, which aims to require the National Guard and Reserve forces to track their members cybersecurity skills. The bill was authored by Reps. Jam Langevin (D-RI), Frank... Read More »
El Centro Border Patrol arrests previously-deported felon convicted of homicide
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 »
FLIR’s Teich to retire after more than 30 years of service
Andrew C. Teich, president and CEO of FLIR Systems, Inc., recently announced his plans to retire after 33 years in the industry. Teich will continue to serve in his current role until a successor is appointed. FLIR’s board of directors will now conduct a comprehensive search for its new... Read More »
Glagio do Brasil chooses Honeywell’s Gold Shield ballistic materials for use in protective equipment
Glagio do Brasil, a Brazilian manufacturer of protective equipment for several branches of Brazil’s law enforcement and military, recently chose Honeywell’s Gold Shield ballistic composite materials for use in ballistic protective vests for the country’s second-largest police force in Minas... Read More »
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 »