Homeland Security in America: Past, Present, and Future

Eleven days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the first director of the Office of Homeland Security was appointed by the president to head this new department, which was located in the White House. This office oversaw and coordinated a comprehensive national strategy to safeguard the country against terrorism and respond to any future attacks. A year later, with the passage of the Homeland Security Act by Congress in November, 2002, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) formally came into being as a stand-alone, cabinet-level, department to further coordinate and unify national homeland security efforts, opening its doors on…