Practical Law Glossary Item 2-506-0648 (Approx. 3 pages)
Glossary
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
The federal government department responsible for the security and protection of American land, territorial waters, and people. The DHS was established in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-296, 116 Stat. 2135 (Nov. 25, 2002)). It was formed on March 1, 2003 by consolidating various federal departments and agencies to:
Prevent terrorism and enhance national security interests.