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Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

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This profile outlines the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), focusing on its organizational structure and its role in AI and biosecurity policy. See also our complementary profile on CISA, the DHS division most relevant to cybersecurity:

DHS > Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)

CISA is the nation’s cyber defense agency and national coordinator for critical infrastructure security and resilience. CISA has emerged as a critical player in AI policy, particularly in AI security.

Overview

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plays a crucial role in US national security, with responsibilities in counterterrorism, border security, cybersecurity, and disaster response. As the third-largest Cabinet department, DHS oversees a broad range of operations with a significant budget and workforce, including diverse agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

In AI policy, DHS is becoming increasingly important, particularly after the Biden Administration’s October 2023 Executive Order on AI. The Department focuses on potential national security threats from AI, including cybersecurity, counterterrorism, election security, and protecting critical infrastructure. Some DHS components particularly focused on AI include CISA, the DHS AI Taskforce, the Chief AI Officer, the Office of Cyber, Infrastructure, Risk, and Resilience, and the Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Technology.

In biosecurity policy, DHS focuses on preventing, detecting, and responding to biological threats—natural, accidental, or intentional—in the US. This includes safeguarding against bioterrorism, supporting infectious disease outbreak response, and protecting critical infrastructure like food and water supplies from biological hazards. Some DHS offices involved in biosecurity work include the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD) for bioterrorism response; the Science & Technology Directorate (S&T) for risk assessments, tools and models; the new Office of Health Security (OHS) as the departmental public health authority; FEMA for federal incident response coordination; and CBP for controlling biological threats at US borders.

Source: USASpending

Background on DHS

  • Government context: Homeland Security is one of 15 executive departments in the US government; the Secretary is a member of the US president’s cabinet
  • Mission: to improve domestic security against threats of physical or cyber-attack, and natural or man-made disasters; goals within this mission include counter-terrorism, border security, cybersecurity, disaster response, and trade and transportation security
  • Main activities: domestic security, domestic emergency response and prevention, terrorism response and prevention, cybersecurity defensive measures, critical infrastructure protection, border security, customs enforcement, supply chain security, drug interdiction, combating child sexual abuse, immigration law enforcement, immigration services (comparable to interior or home ministries in other countries)
  • Budget: ~$185 billion annually, 1.4% of federal budget in 2023
  • Staff: >240,000 employees (third-largest Cabinet department after Defense and Veterans Affairs)
  • Brief history: began operating in March 2003, following the Homeland Security Act of 2002 enacted in response to the September 11th attacks; DHS absorbed many agencies previously housed in other departments
  • DHS Agency Performance Dashboard, Partnership for Public Service

Organizational structure

Source: DHS. DHS is also supported by several prominent advisory panels and committees.

DHS is led by a Secretary of Homeland Security, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Other senior leadership positions, such as Under Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries are also politically appointed. The Office of the Secretary contains 15 sub-offices that directly advise the Secretary and support Department operations. These include offices like the Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans and the Office of Legislative Affairs. Heads of these offices are chosen without Senate confirmation by the Secretary and Deputy Secretary.

The rest of DHS comprises 16 Operational and Support Components, which include both absorbed and newly created agencies, including:

There’s a list of office names and descriptions here, which are omitted from this narration.

  1. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): oversees disaster response, e.g. hurricane response [2023 budget: $71.35 billion; staff: ~20,000]
  2. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA): defends against cybersecurity threats and threats to critical infrastructure; coordinates programs across government and private industry [2023 budget: $3.23 billion; staff: ~3,200]
  3. US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): processes immigration and citizenship requests [2023 budget: $7.73 billion; staff: ~19,000]
  4. US Customs and Border Protection (CPB): enforces immigration, customs, and other laws along international borders [2023 budget: $27.95 billion; staff: >60,000]
  5. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): enforces immigration law violations [2023 budget: $10.63 billion; staff: 20,000]
  6. Transportation Security Administration (TSA): enforces aviation security [2023 budget: $10.39 billion; staff: >50,000]
  7. US Coast Guard: enforcement of law and national security in US waters [2023 budget: $18.68 billion; staff: ~43,000 active duty]
  8. US Secret Service: protect president, vice president, and families as well as financial and electronic crimes [2023 budget: $3.35 billion; staff: ~7,000]

The operational components largely work independently from DHS leadership. Different parts of DHS have different oversight committees and appropriators in Congress.

DHS and AI policy

DHS contributes to AI policy particularly regarding cybersecurity, counterterrorism, critical infrastructure protection, election security, and protection against chemical, biological, and nuclear threats. DHS also implements AI technology across use-cases in its existing responsibilities, for example, related to cybersecurity defenses (through CISA), citizenship and immigration services (through USCIS), border and maritime security (through CBP), and immigration law enforcement (through ICE).

The scope of DHS’ role in AI policy may expand going forward in several domains: 

  1. The Biden Administration’s October 2023 Executive Order on AI assigned significant responsibilities to DHS, such as “an assessment of potential risks related to the use of AI in critical infrastructure”, establishing a new “Artificial Intelligence Safety and Security Board”, “moderniz[ing] immigration pathways for experts in AI,” and addressing risks at the intersection of AI and weapons of mass destruction.
    • January 2025: DHS releases the Generative AI Public Sector Playbook, providing guidance for organizational adoption of generative AI.
    • November 2024: DHS released a framework for the safe and secure deployment of AI in critical infrastructure, including water, transportation, electric, and digital network systems.
    • April 2024: DHS released a report on reducing risks at the intersection of AI and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) threats.
  2. There are debates over the ethical use of AI in immigration enforcement and border surveillance, and DHS may play a role in developing related ethical guidelines. 
  3. If AI-enabled cyber activity becomes more prevalent, CISA’s prominence in cybersecurity-related AI policy will likely increase.
    • October 2024: DHS announced that it is exploring advances in AI “to quickly process large amounts of data and deploy models to detect [cyber] threats, increase resilience and provide more supply chain oversight.”

DHS offices working on AI policy

Several DHS offices contribute to AI-related efforts, including (not comprehensive): 

There’s a list of office names and descriptions here, which are omitted from this narration.

  • Cybersecurity and & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA): seeks to reduce and eliminate threats to the nation’s physical and cyber infrastructure. Specific areas under the organization’s purview include the federal government’s cyber defensive measures, partnering with industry on cyber defense, securing critical infrastructure, election security, and census security. (See our full list of AI-relevant CISA offices in our CISA profile.)
  • DHS AI Taskforce (AITF): established by the Secretary in April 2023, the task force has four priority initiatives: establishing integrity of supply chains and broader trade environment; using AI to reduce the flow of fentanyl into the US; using AI to identify, locate, and rescue victims of online child sexual abuse and to apprehend the perpetrators; and working with partners across government, industry, and academia to assess the impact of AI on the nation’s critical infrastructure.
  • Chief AI Officer: responsible for promoting AI innovation and safety within DHS, coordinating AI policy and technical initiatives across the department, and advising the Secretary and DHS leadership on AI issues
  • Office of Cyber, Infrastructure, Risk, and Resilience (CIRR): key DHS policy office advising on cybersecurity and critical infrastructure issues, and their intersections with AI policy issues.
  • AI Safety & Security Board (AISSB): an advisory panel created by the October 2023 AI Executive Order on AI that includes AI experts from the private sector and government that advise the Secretary and the critical infrastructure community. The AISSB provides information and recommendations for improving security, resilience, and incident response related to the use of AI in critical infrastructure. AISSB was disbanded by President Trump as of January 2025.
  • Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Technology (S&T): science advisor to the Secretary and also heads the research, development, innovation, and testing and evaluation activities for DHS; see DHS S&T’s page on its AI work
  • Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD): works to prevent WMD attacks against the US by providing expertise and tools for detection, deterrence, and response, especially at large-scale public events. The office has several roles and responsibilities in the Biden administration’s 2023 Executive Order on AI (see also the office’s resulting report from April 2024).

Other offices and components may also conduct AI-relevant work. To research these further, you can look at who is involved in the AITF meetings (memos are shared here) and what their portfolios are, as well as the broader DHS AI website (which collects relevant statements and releases from the department).

DHS and biosecurity policy

DHS’s role in US biosecurity efforts focuses on preventing, detecting, and responding to domestic biological threats—natural, accidental, or intentional. This includes safeguarding against bioterrorism, supporting infectious disease outbreak response, and protecting critical infrastructure, such as food and water supplies, from biological hazards. DHS coordinates with domestic agencies and partners, emphasizing internal resilience and emergency response.

Key areas where DHS contributes to biosecurity include:

  • Countering weapons of mass destruction: Leading efforts to prevent attacks using chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials.
  • Emergency preparedness and response: Coordinating federal responses to biological incidents and supporting recovery efforts through FEMA.
  • Border security: Intercepting potential biological threats and preventing them from entering and exiting across US borders.
  • Risk assessment and modeling: Developing tools and models to assess biological threats and support decision-making, including through the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). CISA also helps advise ASPR in HHS on which pathogens to prioritize medical countermeasures for in the strategic national stockpile.
  • Interagency coordination: Working with other federal agencies under the National Biodefense Strategy to coordinate biodefense efforts.

2022 National Biodefense Strategy and Implementation Plan

In 2022, the White House published the government-wide National Biodefense Strategy and Implementation Plan. The plan provides a helpful overview of the role of various departments and agencies in US biosecurity planning, assigning them roles as “Lead” or “Support” for each sub-goal. DHS has been assigned several important lead and support roles in the plan, with CWMD serving as the DHS lead for implementation.

DHS responsibilities from the 2022 National Biodefense Strategy

  1. GOAL 1 (p. 18): Enable risk awareness and detection to inform decision-making across the biodefense enterprise
    1. 1.1.1. Detection and Reporting of Biological Threats (Lead)
    2. 1.1.2. Biological Threat Sequencing and Analytical Data Sharing (Support)
    3. 1.1.3. Data Integration for Early Warning (Lead)
    4. 1.1.4. Biological Threat Assessment and Characterization Capabilities (Lead)
    5. 1.2. Additional Actions (Support)
  2. GOAL 2 (p. 22): Ensure biodefense enterprise capabilities to prevent bio incidents
    1. 2.1.1. Strengthen Country Capacities (Support)
    2. 2.2.1. Promote Safe and Secure Biological Laboratories and Practices (Support)
    3. 2.2.2. Strengthen Responsible Conduct for Biological Research (Support)
    4. 2.2.3. Accelerate biosafety and biosecurity innovation (Support)
    5. 2.2.4. Deter Biological Weapons (Support)
    6. 2.2.5 Reduce Zoonotic Pathogen Spillover (Lead)
  3. GOAL 3 (p. 26): Ensure biodefense enterprise preparedness to reduce the impacts of bioincidents
    1. 3.1.1. Invest in Domestic Public Health Capabilities (Support)
    2. 3.1.2. Strengthen Capacities to Combat Emerging and Zoonotic Disease (Support)
    3. 3.1.3. Promote Evidence-Based Health Communication to the Public (Support)
    4. 3.2.3. Rapid, Low Cost, Point-of-Need Tests (Support)
    5. 3.3.1. PPE Capacity (Support)
    6. 3.3.2. PPE Innovation (Support)
    7. 3.4.4. Vaccine Administration and Allocation (Support)
    8. 3.6. Additional Actions (Lead)
  4. GOAL 4 (p. 33): Rapidly respond to limit the impacts of bioincidents
    1. 4.1.1. Effective Response to Mitigate Biological Incidents (Lead)
    2. 4.1.3 Coordinate Real-Time Research for Response (Lead)
  5. GOAL 5 (p. 35): Facilitate recovery to restore the community, the economy, and the environment after a bioincident
    1. 5.1.1. Recovery Planning and Implementation (Lead)

Established in 2002 in response to 9/11, DHS consolidated various federal efforts to enhance national security, including biosecurity. The Office of Health Affairs was created to address public health threats, focusing on bioterrorism preparedness and response. In 2003, DHS established BioWatch, providing air monitoring for early warning of bioterrorist attacks in large metropolitan areas (see this 2021 report on BioWatch). In 2017, DHS established the CWMD Office, consolidating efforts from the Office of Health Affairs and other DHS elements to improve national biodefense capabilities. In 2022, DHS established the Office of Health Security (OHS), serving as the Department’s public health authority.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, DHS was central in coordinating border security, distributing essential medical supplies, and maintaining critical infrastructure as part of the federal response. FEMA facilitated the distribution of PPE, medical supplies, and ventilators. CBP conducted enhanced health screenings at major airports for travelers from high-risk regions. CISA provided guidance to ensure the continuity of critical infrastructure, focusing on protecting essential workers and maintaining medical supply chains. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) adjusted its enforcement policies. Visit the DHS and FEMA COVID-19 pages for a more detailed account of the agency’s actions during the pandemic. 

See also this list of DHS announcements and publications related to biological threats. Some recent highlights are listed below (this list is not comprehensive):

Major recent biosecurity-related developments at DHS

  • December 2024: DHS releases the Biosafety and Biosecurity Innovation Initiative Plan with the National Institutes of Health and other agencies, outlining an interagency framework “to reduce biorisks associated with advances in biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and the bioeconomy.
  • June 2024: CWMD Assistant Secretary delivers a speech at MIT detailing the role of CWMD in the national biodefense mission.
  • April 2024: DHS publishes a fact sheet and report on the Intersection of AI and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Threats, which “identifies the trends in AI and types of AI models, including foundation models and Biological Design Tools, that might present or intensify biological and chemical threats.”
  • September 2022: The White House publishes an Executive Order on Advancing the American Bioeconomy. DHS (CWMD) is designated as a co-lead, alongside HHS, in developing a national biosafety and biosecurity plan for the bioeconomy.
  • July 2022: DHS establishes the OHS, serving as the Department’s public health authority.
  • April 2022: DHS CWMD hosts a convening for BioWatch, with senior leadership and local leaders who support the BioWatch program in their respective jurisdictions.
  • February 2022: DHS S&T releases an RFI for chemical and biological defense innovations to test and evaluate in the New York City subway system.
  • September 2021: In collaboration with ASPR, DHS conducts the First Responder Vaccine Initiative (FRVI) pilot program to administer anthrax vaccine doses nearing expiration dates to first responders.
  • December 2017: DHS establishes the CWMD Office, consolidating efforts from the Office of Health Affairs and other DHS elements to improve national biodefense capabilities.

DHS offices working on biosecurity policy

Several DHS offices contribute to biosecurity efforts, including (not comprehensive):

There’s a list of office names and descriptions here, which are omitted from this narration.

  • Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD): works to prevent WMD attacks against the US by providing expertise and tools for detection, deterrence, and response, especially at large-scale public events. (See this June 2024 speech on CWMD’s role in the national biodefense mission). CWMD manages the BioWatch and BD21 biosurveillance programs and houses the National Biosurveillance Integration Center. As DHS’s lead for the 2022 National Biodefense Strategy, CWMD coordinates DHS-wide implementation. It also partners with HHS under the EO on Advancing the American Bioeconomy to create a national biosafety and biosecurity plan.
  • Science & Technology Directorate (S&T): serves as the Secretary’s science advisor and DHS’ R&D arm, including policy development, in-house R&D, and collaborations with external R&D partners (org chart).
    • Office of Innovation & Collaboration: connects DHS with external experts and resources to develop new security solutions.
      • The Office of National Laboratories (ONL): operates several laboratories conducting R&D related to DHS’ focus areas. ONL also manages the relationship between DHS and DOE National Laboratories, which frequently conduct R&D in support of DHS mission areas:
        • The National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC): supports intelligence assessments, preparedness planning, response, emerging threat characterization, and bioforensic analysis related to biological threats.
        • Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC): operates in partnership with USDA to defend against transboundary animal diseases. It conducts research into vaccines and therapeutics, diagnostics, detection technologies, and bioforensics, and it’s the only US laboratory authorized to handle live Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus and African Swine Fever Virus. DHS S&T also constructed the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) facility which will replace PIADC in the coming years.
    • Office of Mission & Capability Support (MCS): coordinates, aligns, and drives S&T R&D to meet the operational needs of DHS, S&T, and their partners. The Counter Terrorist program is particularly relevant for biosecurity policy and includes:
      • Emerging Risks & Technologies (ERT): identifies, assesses, and mitigates evolving threats posed by emerging technologies, including focus areas on synthetic pandemics and genomic security.
      • Probabilistic Analysis for National Threats Hazards and Risks (PANTHR): uses data-driven models to assess and quantify risks from WMD and other national security threats, including characterizing biological threats.
  • Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans: provides DHS policy guidance, including teams that oversee bioterrorism risks.
  • Office of Health Security (OHS): focuses on protecting the health of DHS employees and the public by overseeing medical preparedness, workforce health, and biodefense initiatives. The OHS Health, Food & Agriculture Resilience Directorate may be especially relevant for biosecurity efforts.
  • Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): coordinates federal government response and recovery efforts for disasters, providing financial and logistical support. Rapidly responds during outbreaks (as with COVID-19) and sets standards for biosecurity incident responses.
    • Office of Response & Recovery: coordinate all federal emergency management response operations, response planning, and recovery assistance.
    • Office of Emerging Threats (OET): formerly known as the chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear office, OET identifies and informs FEMA of emerging threats that may challenge core capabilities for incident response and recovery.
    • Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP): provides specialized training for emergency responders, focusing on chemical, biological, radiological, and other disaster scenarios. CDP is also a member of the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium (NDPC), a nationwide partnership of training centers that enhance national preparedness through coordinated programs.
    • National Preparedness: establishes the National Preparedness System, National Planning Frameworks, National Incident Management System, National Preparedness Reports, and Federal Interagency Operational Plans.
    • National Domestic Preparedness Directorate (NPD) > National Training and Education Division (NTED): oversees and coordinates the development and delivery of comprehensive training including providing WMD-response related knowledge and skills.
    • Office of Policy & Program Analysis (OPPA): provides high-level strategic oversight over FEMA’s budget, policy coordination, and more.
  • Customs and Border Protection (CBP): responsible for managing, controlling, and securing US borders at and between ports of entry.
    • Agriculture Programs and Trade Liaison (APTL) > Agro/Bio-Terrorism Countermeasures (ABTC): responsible for intercepting biological threats entering and exiting the country (see this 2023 report on their work).
  • Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans (PLCY): develops and coordinates DHS-wide strategic planning, policy formulation, and partnerships, including representing DHS in interagency discussions. Relevant areas of PLCY’s policy portfolio include: counterterrorism, infrastructure resilience, and border security.

Working at DHS

DHS recruits from a wide range of backgrounds, and regularly hires candidates from the private sector and right out of college. If you’re looking for early-career opportunities at DHS like internships and fellowships, check out and filter for “Department of Homeland Security” in the Federal Internship Finder and the USAJOBS Federal Internship Portal. DHS also participates in the Pathways Program and offers several topic-specific internship and apprenticeship programs for students and recent graduates, including in cybersecurity and intelligence. In 2024, DHS is running the DHS AI Corps hiring initiative, a special program to hire AI technical talent into the department.

To find open full-time positions at DHS, visit USAJOBS filtering for “Department of Homeland Security”, and check out the Homeland Security Careers page (which also links to relevant components’ individual pages), which may include postings not listed on USAJOBS. You can also follow DHS (and components) on LinkedIn to stay updated about their activities and new job postings.

If you want to apply, check out our federal agency application advice section for guides to USAJOBS, federal resumes, interviewing for federal positions, and more.

Internships and fellowships facilitating placements at DHS:

There’s a list of fellowship and internship programs here, which are omitted from this narration.

Further reading

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