AP Sources: SolarWinds Hack Got Emails of Top DHS Officials
The intelligence value of the hacking of then-acting Secretary Chad Wolf and his staff is not publicly known, but the symbolism is stark. Keep Reading
Former Trump DHS Chief Chad Wolf Starts Consulting Firm
The new firm is called Wolf Global Advisors, and Wolf is launching it with three former other senior Trump DHS officials: former acting chief of staff Scott Erickson, former deputy chief of staff Tyler Houlton and legislative affairs director Beth Spivey. Keep Reading
Coast Guard Presented with First DHS Outstanding Unit Award
The new DHS Outstanding Unit Award is a department-level award, presented by the Secretary of Homeland Security, similar to those presented by the Secretaries of Defense and Transportation. Keep Reading
National Special Security Event Operations for Inauguration Bumped Up by 6 Days
The Secret Service said in a Friday statement that the inauguration "is a foundational element of our democracy" and "the safety and security of all those participating in the 59th Presidential Inauguration is of the utmost importance." Keep Reading
Wolf Resigns from DHS, Cites Rulings About His Legitimacy as Acting Secretary
FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor is moving into the acting leadership role atop the Department of Homeland Security in the face of mounting domestic threats as Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf resigned. Keep Reading
White House Says it Pulled DHS Nomination for Wolf as Acting Secretary Condemns Capitol Riot
The announcement came shortly after Wolf issued a statement this morning decrying the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday and declaring that "we now see some supporters of the President using violence as a means to achieve political end." Keep Reading
DHS Modernizes Critical Identification Requirements After Congress Passes REAL ID Modernization Act
To date, all 50 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia have issued more than 114 million REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and identification cards, representing 42 percent of all driver’s licenses and identification card holders. Keep Reading
El Salvador Begins Implementation of Asylum Cooperative Agreement
Under the ACA, certain migrants requesting asylum or similar humanitarian protection at the U.S. border will be transferred to El Salvador to seek protection in El Salvador. Keep Reading
DHS ‘Adopting a More Central Role’ in New National Space Policy
The policy builds upon over 50 years of U.S. principles for responsible space activities and brings America’s policy in alignment with the technological advances and modern realities of the space domain. Keep Reading
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals: USCIS Response to December 4, 2020, Order
USCIS will take appropriate steps to provide evidence of the one-year extensions of deferred action and employment authorization documents under DACA to individuals who were issued documentation on or after July 28, 2020. Keep Reading
DHS Launches New Center for Countering Human Trafficking
The center will be staffed by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and DHS, as well as subject matter experts and support staff from 16 DHS components—all focused on the “4 Ps” of the center’s mission: prevention, protection, prosecution and partnerships. Keep Reading
DHS Calls Racially Motivated Extremism the ‘Most Persistent and Lethal’ Domestic Violent Extremist Threat
COVID-19 has introduced or exacerbated stressors -- such as mental health issues brought on or worsened by social isolation, or job losses that can precede radicalization -- that could also drive extremists to violence, the report notes. Keep Reading
DHS Awarded $6 Million in Contracts to Firm Where Acting Secretary Wolf’s Wife Is Executive
Wolf's wife, Hope Wolf, is vice president of professional staff operations at Berkeley Research Group, a consulting firm. Although the company has a long history of federal contracts, it did not do work for DHS until after Wolf became the TSA's chief of staff in 2017. Keep Reading
OIG: Only a Court Can Issue ‘Binding Determination’ on Legality of Wolf’s Appointment
In a ruling Friday blocking the Trump administration from enforcing new asylum employment authorization restrictions, federal Judge Paula Xinis wrote that the plaintiffs "are likely to demonstrate" order of succession was invalid. Keep Reading
Former I&A Leader Tells OIG That Wolf, Cuccinelli Wanted to Downplay Russia, White Supremacist Threats
Brian Murphy says he was demoted for "protected disclosures ... primarily focused on the compilation of intelligence reports and threat assessments that conflicted with policy objectives set forth by the White House." Keep Reading
State of the Homeland Address: Wolf Focuses on ‘Operational Flexibility,’ Protest Response
He criticized "a vocal and ill-informed minority" that "has clamored to paint recent DHS actions as examples of mission drift." Keep Reading
DHS Employees Receive Hatch Act Warning After Acting Secretary’s RNC Appearance
Wolf’s participation in the event, which was taped and broadcast at the RNC, prompted immediate outcry from Democrats who alleged that Wolf had violated the Hatch Act — a law that restricts most executive branch employees from engaging in partisan political activity. Keep Reading
Trump Says He’ll Nominate Chad Wolf to Lead DHS
The announcement comes days after the Government Accountability Office refused a DHS request to rescind their report that found the appointments of Wolf and Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli invalid. Keep Reading
GAO Denies DHS Demand to Rescind Report That Found Wolf, Cuccinelli Appointments Invalid
"Despite the obvious fact that the agency is entitled to interpret its own internal memoranda, the GAO improperly rejected DHS's reading," argued acting DHS counsel, accusing nonpartisan watchdog of partisanship. Keep Reading
Wolf Announces New Homeland Security Advisory Council Members
Former Deputy Administrator for Resilience at the Federal Emergency Management Agency Dan Kaniewski and former director of the United States Marshals Service John Clark among the appointees. Keep Reading