The 2014 Elections and Homeland Security

So, last night was interesting to say the least! After Mr. Obama's recent press conference to address "no what", my Twitter account was flooded with the same questions- but directed at Homeland Security. Yes, the elections are going to impact how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will move forward. Different leadership and different people at the table will always lead to different perspectives and objectives when it comes to Homeland Security. And, to make things more shaky, there was a security breach by a DHS contractor announced today- which means incoming officials may be looking to clean house.

Here's what happened; a contractor running background checks for the US Department of Homeland Security has suffered a potentially embarrassing security breach. The security snafu at USIS reportedly led to the theft of some DHS employees’ personal information. The extent of the breach — discovered and self-reported by USIS itself — is still being assessed. DHS encrypts the data it sends USIS but how it is stored and handled within the contractor, the largest provider of background investigations for the federal government, is unclear.

Our country has to pivot right now because of new people coming into office, and because of examples such as the above. We need to tighten policies, figure out how to sustain several programs with needed improvements to social and multi-media tools, and -most of all- we need to learn to work together. Regardless if we are traveling through an airport and annoyed with the TSA screening process or we are a newly elected official lost in the overwhelming process of taking over a political office- collaboration has to be a priority from here on out.

There isn't going to be an overnight change within any area of our political or security systems. But, together, we can work for a safer and more forward-thinking future!

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Homeland Security Blog: Drug Tunnel Shut Down Near San Diego

Drug tunnels are a homeland security issue. While many people might thing the drugs being brought into this country don't possess a threat to their daily lives, the opposite is true. Drug tunnels can facilitate the transport of more than just drugs. In fact,these tunnels are also often used to facilitate smuggling of illegal aliens and, potentially, terrorists and weapons of mass destruction. This can potentially impact everyone, not only those buying or selling the drugs.

This past Thursday the DHS announced they had discovered a newly completed tunnel that connected a warehouse in Tijuana, Mexico with a building in San Diego’s Otay Mesa industrial park stretched the length of nearly six football fields. The tunnel was equipped with lighting, ventilation and an electric rail system. It was described as “the largest, most sophisticated tunnel uncovered along the southern border in two years.”

While the discovery of the tunnel is great news for our country (since we could now close it and recovered the drugs), it isn't that great of news for the DHS. These tunnels are popping up all over southern California. How we assess various issues related to the war on drugs and illegal immigration can impact our national security directly related to potential terrorist threats. This leads to my next question... "are we doing enough to prepare and prevent?"

I might do a webinar covering how one non-national issue can lead to a national disaster. Preventing tunnels from forming is impossible, but we can decrease the rate of which they are forming. The issue itself is too complex to cover in this blog, which is why I have a homeland security book coming out shortly.

I am interested in your thoughts on this discovery and how you think we , as a country, can prevent further tunnels from forming.

Twyla Garrett