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Homeland security or Homeland defense is a neologism referring to domestic governmental actions justified, or allegedly justified, by potential guerrilla attacks or terrorism. The term
became prominent in the United States following the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack, although it was used less frequently before that
incident.
Such domestic governmental actions include:
- emergency mobilization, including volunteer medical, police, and fire personnel
- new domestic surveillance and spying efforts, particularly with respect to immigration, transportation, military
installations, and utilities
- secret arrests and detentions
- infrastructure protection
- border control (ie. biometric passports)
In the United States, the concept of homeland security extends and recombines responsibilities of much of the executive branch, including FBI, National Guard,
Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS), Secret
Service, Department of
Justice, and the Central Intelligence
Agency. The George W. Bush administration has consolidated these
and many other such activities, formerly in separate Executive Departments, under the United States
Department of Homeland Security, a new Executive Department created for these purposes.
See also
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