Homeland security

Inside DHS’ Intelligence Mission

The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) was borne from the idea that there were real gaps in seeing threat patterns inside the United States, and that the focused law enforcement work of the FBI and others was coming up short on traditional strategic trend analysis at home.  The FBI took obvious umbrage at this assertion, but the decision was made to stand up a new, formal member of the National Intelligence Program.

DHS I&A was charged with looking inside the United States, including at U.S. Persons information, the activities of groups and movements in the U.S. potentially at risk for radicalization and violence, and to paint an intelligence threat and analysis picture of the homeland.

DHS I&A is a large directorate led by a Senate-confirmed Under Secretary.  Its mandate includes overseeing the federal homeland security intelligence enterprise, managing information sharing policy for the Department, serving as the homeland security intelligence requirements representative to the larger IC, and building partnerships with nation-wide State Fusion Centers.