Student Post #7

Robert Gleason

Organizations Protecting the United States

Several organizations within the United States are tasked with protecting the country and its interest from terrorist attacks, each with its role and responsibility. Many organizations are tasked with protecting the country; however, this discussion will review the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection Agency, Immigration Customs Enforcement, and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. According to the Department of Homeland Security (n.d.), protecting Americans resolutely from terrorism and other homeland security threats is one of the Department's top priorities. The Department of Homeland Security’s mission is to stop nation-states and their representatives, transnational criminal organizations, and other groups or individuals from carrying out terrorist or criminal acts that endanger the country. According to Taylor and Swanson (2018), DHS addresses the ever-changing landscape of terroristic threats by strengthening the organization’s understanding of how one may be planning an attack and using that knowledge to prevent further attacks.

Another organization is Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP). According to Taylor and Swanson (2018), the mission of the CBP is to stop criminals and hazardous materials from entering the United States. The CBP seeks to prevent dangerous diseases, individuals, illegal immigrants, and illicit substances such as drugs, weapons, stolen products, illegally obtained money and monetary instruments, and other contraband from entering the United States. Taylor and Swanson argue that regulation of foreign trade, the collection of import duties, the enforcement of trade laws, and the defense of American enterprises against the theft of intellectual property, such as software, are all key responsibilities of the CBP. Another organization tasked with protecting the country is Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE). Taylor and Swanson (2018) assert that through comprehensive criminal and civil enforcement of roughly 400 federal laws controlling border control, customs, trade, and immigration, ICE works to improve public safety and homeland security.

The FBI leads US anti-terrorism efforts. It gathers data, monitors, and investigates terrorism. The FBI works with domestic and international law enforcement to stop assaults and dismantle terrorist groups. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTF) are teams of highly skilled, locally located, and deeply dedicated investigators, analysts, linguists, and other specialists from numerous U.S. law enforcement and intelligence organizations (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2022). By regularly performing training to preserve the particular abilities of investigators, analysts, and crisis response teams, JTTFs serve as a national resource and foster familiarity among investigators and management before a crisis (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2022). JTTFs assemble resources from the intelligence and law enforcement sectors to form a team that can act quickly.

Christian Worldview

1 Corinthians 12:14 says, “For the body does not consist of one member but of many” ( New International Version, 1978/2011). This correlates with this discussion topic due to the listed agencies and task forces' collaborative mission, protecting and preventing terrorism in the homeland and her interests. Each agency has its mission and goals, and each seeks to attain its goals through various manners and strategies. As it is within the body of Christ, each part, or organization, contributes to the overall mission, which is to protect the nation from attacks and other nefarious activities.