What is the purpose of Homeland Security?

Question

I am asking because this particular agency doesn't fit into our government. Here is what I mean:

The Central Intelligence Agency protects the United States in other countries.

The National Security Agency protects the United States' borders.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation protects the United States within our borders.

So, to ask the question once again, what is the purpose of Homeland Security.

One more thing, I want excellent resources from you or your answer will not be considered. Also, DO NOT list Wikipedia as a resource.

Answer 1

I have worked with a local homeland security agency on a recent case involving helicopters landing at a nearby lake that is the water supply for our city and outlying area.

Usually homeland security officers will be comprised of officers from local agencies such as the highway patrol, sheriff's office, local US marshalls.

Homeland Security agencies in my area keep track of the infrastructure such as railroads, bridges, drinking water supplies. Anything crucial to the economy and to keep it running smoothly.

Many local agenicies benefit from Homeland Security grants also. A Homeland Security grant provided new bulletproof vests and radios for my agency.

Answer 2

The Homeland Security Web site lists all of the agencies that are, or are slated to become, part of the Department of Homeland Security. This is just a brief list of agencies that are part of Homeland Security:

The U.S. Customs Service (Treasury)
The Immigration and Naturalization Service (part) (Justice)
The Federal Protective Service
The Transportation Security Administration (Transportation)
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (Treasury)
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (part)(Agriculture)
Office for Domestic Preparedness (Justice)

Answer 3

Homeland Security collectively controls all major US agencies, including FEMA, the CIA, the FBI, etc.... One of the problems in 9/11 was coordinating a response for the fire departments and police departments, air force, etc.... At the time their was no protocol to deal with such a situation. The HS department is supposed to organize all of that under one umbrella.

Answer 4

The department was implemented to end the problem of agencies not communicating with each other. By the way, don't you think "your answer will not be considered" is a bit patronizing?

The Wikipedia is frequently dismissed as inaccurate, but other encyclopedias also contain lots of errors. It seems to be a thing with you.

Answer 5

The US Dept of Homeland Security is to protect our nation from terrorists who come here and try to kill us.

The National Security Agency does not "protect our borders".
Our border patrol is under the jurisdiction of the US Dept of Homeland Security.
They protect our borders from invasion, from terrorists and illegal aliens (who are economic terrorists).
They are also in charge of interior immigration control and enforcement, which is in DIRE necessity right now. We have 20 million illegal aliens in this country that need to be cleared out.

Don't you have a search engine on your PC?

Answer 6

Homeland Security is full of masters of security theater: doing things to make it look like "something" is being done and making people "feel" safer without actually doing anything which would make them safer: make grandmothers and toddlers take off their shoes and submit to a pat-down before getting on a plane, but leave the coasts and borders as porous as ever, etc.

Answer 7

The Department of Homeland Security was created to scare the American Public into voting Republican.

Answer 8

I WAS going to answer your question until you put all the conditions on it at the end. Yeesh.

Answer 9

To "scare you into gladly giving up your liberties".