Project 2025: The Department of Homeland Security, Introduction
One of the largest Departments of the federal government, the Department of Homeland Security was formed on November 25, 2002, and began operations on March 1, 2003, after being created by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
Though, almost 25 years later, the authors of Project 2025 state that it would be best for this department to cease to exist due to the fact that it has not gelled into “One DHS”. Instead, the various component agencies which make up the Department of Homeland Security operate independent of each other. Therefore, they state that breaking up the department along its mission lines would facilitate mission focus and provide opportunities to reduce overhead and achieve more limited government. And while normally I would jump right into the chapter, today will be a little different due to the fact that I feel the need to make an overview just to introduce you to everything which will be covered as part of this chapter, as it can be quite intense at times.
The Department of Homeland Security
Kristi Noem, Secretary
Troy Edgar, Deputy Secretary
When the Department of Homeland Security was created, it was created as a White House Office with it’s first leader, former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge assuming the title of Assistant to the President for Homeland Security. In announcing the creation of the Office of Homeland Security, the original announcement stated:
The mission of the Office will be to develop and coordinate the implementation of a comprehensive national strategy to secure the United States from terrorist threats and attacks. The Office will coordinate the executive branch’s efforts to detect, prepare for, prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks within the United States.
On October 8th, 2001, Mr. Ridge began his duties as the Director of the Office of Homeland Security; a role which he would serve in until the Department of Homeland Security began operations in 2003, when Mr. Ridge became the first Secretary of Homeland Security. In his role, he led the office through the end of President Bush’s first term in office. During his time in office, he led the development of the Department which exists today and implemented the tasks assigned to him by the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which was the piece of legislation which created the Department and consolidated 22 agencies into a single government department. Though, as previously stated, Project 2025 states that the time for consolidation at the Department of Homeland Security is over. Instead, it is time for the Trump Administration to begin the task of dismantling the Department of Homeland Security and disperse the different agencies of the department to other departments which they state would reduce overhead.
Primary Recommendation
Project 2025’s primary recommendation is that the Department be dissolved in the following manner:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) should be combined with ICE, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), as well as the Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review and the Office of Immigration Litigation should be combined into a stand alone border and immigration agency at the cabinet level. (The Department of Citizenship and Immigration).
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) should be moved to the Department of Transportation.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) should be moved to the Department of the Interior; or, if combined with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA), to the Department of Transportation.
The U.S. Coast Guard should be moved to the Department of Justice or Department of Defense
The U.S. Secret Service should be divided in two:
The Department of Justice should assume the Protective Element of the Secret Service
The Department of the Treasury should assume the Financial Aspects of the Secret Service
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) should be privatized
The Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) should be moved to the Department of Defense
The Office of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction should be moved to the FBI
Overview
As I did with Project 2025’s chapters on the Whtie House and the Department of Defense, the chapter covering the Department of Homeland Security will be broken down as well. Though, unlike what I did in the past, I’ve decided that this time around, I would create an introduction post so that you can figure out how I plan on navigating the chapter as we go along. While there is a lot more in Project 2025 other than what was written above prior to the content of the chapter, I decided that it will not be useful to go over the lies which are included in there, as I really need to stop trying to include that in the post. Rather, I am just going to concentrate on the largest parts of the project and what exactly would change. And now, on to what my future posts will be all about.
DHS Part 1: The Office of the Secretary – Troy Edgar, Deputy Secretary
Part 1 of my coverage of the chapter on the Department of Homeland Security will cover the office of the Secretary, Kristi Noem. Project 2025 states that Secretary Noem should take on the following key issues and challenges to ensure the effect operation of DHS.
Expansion of Dedicated Political Personnel
An Aggressive Approach to Senate-Confirmed Leadership Positions
Clearer, More Durable, and Political-Only Line of Succession
Soft Closure of Unnecessary Offices
Restructuring and Redistribution of Career Personnel
Compliance of Grants and Other Federal Funding
Non-Use of the Discretionary Guest Worker Visa Authorities
Restoration of Honesty and Transparency
Replacement of the Entire Homeland Security Advisory Council
DHS Part 2: Customs and Border Protection – Rodney S. Scott, Commissioner
As previously stated, Project 2025 calls for the merging of all immigration agencies such as CBP, USCIS and ORR. Though, in the event that this doesn’t happen, the authors of this section did create alternative scenarios which the administration could follow. This alternative would be the consolidation of ICE and CBP to form a combined Border Security and Immigration Agency (BSIA). This part of the chapter discusses how this would work, and what steps the administration should take when it comes to how they should handle immigration and illegal immigration. As this is just a brief overview of each section, I am not going to go into too much detail.
DHS Part 3: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Todd Lyons, Acting Director
Now this is where it’s going to get interesting. As I stated in the past, I am truly curious as to whether or not some of the current actions being taken by the Trump Administration are discussed in this chapter. And when we cover this part of their plans for the Department of Homeland Security, we will see whether it is covered. To start this post, I will covered the needed reforms as stated in Project 2025, prior to explaining what new policies Project 2025 calls on the Trump Administration to implement as part of their reforms of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). I will also cover what the republicans have included as part of the budget, and the new staffing Project 2025 calls on the Trump Administration to hire so that their plans can be carried out.
DHS Part 4: Necessary Border and Immigration Statutory, Regulatory, and Administrative Changes
To go along with the aforementioned plans, Project 2025 lays out what needs to change when it comes to laws and regulations, as well as any administrative changes which need to be completed. They also lay out executive orders which the president can sign, which will be explained. As part of this section, I will inform you of what policies have been implemented by executive order, as well as what still needs to be completed. At the same time, I will take a moment to analyze the effects of said executive orders should they have already been issued, and the practices be put into place by the Trump Administration at the time of writing.
DHS Part 5: FEMA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency – David Richardson, Acting Administrator
This section of the reforms called for by Project 2025 will be scrutinized, especially in light of the recent deployment and FEMA and talk about dismantling this specific part of the Department of Homeland Security. When covering this portion of Project 2025, I will also include a brief history of what they have done, and what they strive to do when citizens need them the most; which mostly takes place in Republican districts due to the fact that they are the least prepared when it comes to natural disasters. So, for them to dismantle FEMA is really going to hurt the Republican Party considering they are the ones who need it the most.
DHS Part 6: CISA – The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency – Madhu Gottumukkala, Acting Director
This section is quite brief and only details the needed reforms of CISA. Though, I will also explain precisely what CISA does for the government and what it has done in the past; including the role it played in the 2020 Presidential Election under Chris Krebs. The official who refused to play a role in President Trump’s attempt with overthrowing the election. As a result, I feel the need to explain precisely what this agency does and what role it should play on a regular basis. After which, I will explain what reforms are being called for as part of Project 2025 including some of the conspiracy theories which have made their way into Project 2025.
DHS Part 7: USCG – The U.S. Coast Guard – Kevin Lunday, Acting Commandant
During wartime, the U.S. Coast Guard is a part of the Department of Defense. However, in peace, the coast guard is part of the Department of Homeland Security. As part of this section of DHS, I will explain how this is the case, why it is the case, and the reforms which Project 2025 call for the administration to implement. I will also cover any personnel changes they call for and more. There is a lot of material in here, so we will see just what exactly can be covered in whatever post I make. Though, it should be noted that some posts may be combined if I find myself needing more material to complete the length of post I prefer to public.
DHS Part 8: USSS – The U.S. Secret Service – Sean M. Curran, Director
Since 2003, the United States Secret Service has been a part of the Department of Homeland Security. Reforms called for by Project 2025 include the separation of the protective portion of the U.S. Secret Service from it’s investigatory duties. This will be further discussed as this part of the Department of Homeland Security, while also giving a background of the Secret Service. This will include the origins of the agency when it was founded in 1865, how and when it started to protect the President of the United States, and what Project 2025 states it’s future should look like if the reforms in Project 2025 are implemented.
DHS Part 9: TSA – The Transportation Security Agency – Ha Nguyen McNeill, Acting Administration/Deputy Administrator
This is probably one of the best known agencies when you are travelling, as they are in charge of your safety when you are flying. Created on November 19th, 2001 through the passage of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the TSA was originally part of the Department of Transportation. Though, when DHS was created, the TSA was moved to the department. This portion of the series will cover Project 2025’s proposal that they could privatize TSA through security contracts. They state that this would allow the federal government to save 15-20% from the existing aviation screening budget.
DHS Part 10: The Management Directorate (MGMT) – Benjamine Huffman, Acting Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Management
The DHS Management Directorate is a component of the Department of Homeland Security and serves as the central administrative support organization of the department as it fulfills its national security mission. This part of the Department of Homeland Security will cover the Front Office, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, and the Federal Protective Service. The later, the Federal Protective Service (FPS) includes the U.S. Marshals, the U.S. Park Police and the agency which is in charge of protecting the U.S. Capitol.
DHS Part 11: Other Offices at DHS and Agency Relationships.
The Final Portion of the Department of Homeland Security will be related to other offices which fall under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security, as well as the Department’s relationships with it’s counterparts including the Departments of Health & Human Services, Defense, Justice, State, Housing and Urban Development, Education, and the Treasury, as well as the Intelligence Community. This will be the last portion of the Department of Homeland Security.
As I have previously done with my most recent posts, each post will include any information I have on the reforms which have been put in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA). Therefore, it will allow you to know precisely what has already been implemented as part of the Republican mega-bill which passed congress. Though, I will note that some posts may change depending on the material which I include in each and every post. Hopefully, this gives you a good preview of how things will play out over the coming two weeks.