Key facts
- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reportedly less equipped for counterterrorism work due to a shift in focus under the Trump administration.
- Former officials and lawmakers express concern that resources and personnel have been diverted from critical areas like cybersecurity and intelligence analysis to immigration operations.
- DHS argues that counterterrorism and immigration enforcement go hand in hand, with links to child exploitation, trafficking, terrorism, scams, and smuggling.
- The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has seen at least 1,000 staffers leave since Trump took office.
- Hundreds of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents have been reassigned to assist with immigration enforcement.
- HSI initiated over 400 counterterrorism investigations between October 2023 and September 2024, contributing to 93% of the U.S. Joint Terrorism Task Force’s efforts against terrorist activity.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), established in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, may be less equipped to handle counterterrorism threats due to significant changes implemented by the Trump administration, according to former officials and lawmakers. The agency has reportedly shifted its focus almost entirely to apprehending unauthorized immigrants, leading to staff cuts and reassignments from critical counterterrorism and cybersecurity roles.
Former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano stated that while the U.S. is safer from the specific type of attack seen on 9/11, it is not as secure as it could be if DHS were properly led and its resources aligned with evolving risks. She highlighted that elements of DHS responsible for identifying threats and disaster recovery have been under stress due to resources being diverted to immigration enforcement.
POLITICO spoke with 10 individuals familiar with DHS operations, many of whom expressed concerns about the agency's readiness. While some individual personnel and budget shifts have been reported, the extent to which traditional counterterrorism efforts have been abandoned is becoming clearer. Republicans largely defended the department's approach, though some, like former acting Secretary Chad Wolf, critiqued the cuts and emphasized the need for leadership to keep agencies focused on their missions.
DHS defended its strategy, asserting that counterterrorism and immigration enforcement are intertwined, citing connections between illegal immigration and issues like child exploitation, trafficking, and smuggling. The department claimed it is recruiting, reforming, and modernizing at a record pace, including in counterterrorism, and is equipped to handle evolving threats. White House spokesperson Lauren Bis added that the Trump administration has detained thousands of suspected terrorists and accused former President Joe Biden of allowing potential terrorists into the U.S.
The nature of threats has evolved since 9/11, with cyberattacks, drone strikes, and transnational criminal organizations now posing significant risks alongside traditional terrorist groups. Efforts to combat digital threats through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have been impacted, with at least 1,000 staffers leaving since Trump took office. Republicans, including House Homeland Security Chair Andrew Garbarino and Rep. Don Bacon, are pushing to revitalize CISA, but a current CISA official warned that the loss of experienced personnel could hinder the agency's ability to respond to cyber threats.
Furthermore, many DHS staffers have been reassigned to immigration enforcement. For the first time, personnel from non-deportation sections, including intelligence and criminal investigations arms of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), are assisting with the apprehension, detention, and removal of unauthorized immigrants. Hundreds of agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which handles complex criminal investigations, have been detailed to Enforcement and Removal Operations. While HSI represents a small fraction of federal counterterrorism personnel, its impact is significant, having initiated over 400 counterterrorism investigations and contributed to 93% of the U.S. Joint Terrorism Task Force’s efforts against terrorist activity in the most recent ICE annual report. The lack of a recent ICE annual report makes it difficult to measure the full impact of these changes, but former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson warned that such shifts could lead to critical threats being missed.