After more than two decades of shaping U.S. homeland security and screening programs, Neal Latta, Assistant Administrator for Enrollment Services and Vetting Programs (ESVP) at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), has announced his retirement. Latta shared the news in a LinkedIn post, marking the close of a career that has had a lasting impact on national security, vetting, and screening operations.
Latta, a GTSC Homeland Security Today, 2023 Holiday Hero Award Winner, was selected to serve as TSA’s Assistant Administrator for ESVP, overseeing the management of program operations, technology, budgets, and the integration of frontline vetting priorities across TSA. In this role, he helped align TSA’s vetting initiatives, such as TSA PreCheck, TWIC, and HAZMAT, with broader Department of Homeland Security (DHS) strategies, strengthening coordination with federal, state, local, tribal, and private sector partners.
Before becoming Assistant Administrator, Latta served as ESVP’s first Deputy Assistant Administrator. Earlier in his career, Latta was Director of the DHS Screening Coordination Office, where he oversaw implementation of key executive orders on refugee policy, information sharing, and national vetting procedures. He also helped launch the National Vetting Center, serving as DHS’s lead on policy recommendations that shaped the future of identity management and screening.
Latta’s background includes extensive experience in biometrics, technology integration, and counterterrorism operations. He previously served as Group Chief of the Screening and Vetting Group at the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), directing daily operations of high-profile screening programs for individuals entering the United States. His contributions also included critical work on the US-VISIT program, setting the gold standard for biometric technical and personnel capacities.
A graduate of North Carolina Wesleyan University with a degree in business administration and computer information systems, Latta also completed the Homeland Defense Fellowship Program at the National Defense University.
There has been no word as of yet on what’s the next chapter for Latta.
(AI was used in part to facilitate this article.)