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WASHINGTON
– For months, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has taken on the
challenges presented by COVID-19. Thanks to our workforce’s efforts across
its components DHS has facilitated a speedy, whole-of-government response to
mitigate the spread of COVID-19. As the nation continues to reopen the
economy, the Department and its components continue to ensure a safe, secure,
and prosperous Homeland for the American people.
“The
men and women of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement continue to work
tirelessly to keep the American public safe from fraudulent products and
activity related to the Coronavirus,” said ICE Deputy Director and Senior
Official Performing the Duties of Director, Matthew T. Albence. “Together
with intra-agency partners like U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the
private sector, Operation Stolen Promise prevents and investigates criminal
activity surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Strong partnerships are critical
to strengthening global supply-chain security and will ultimately protect the
American public from victimization. One thing we want the public to know: If
it looks too good to be true, it probably is.”
Below
is a list of some of DHS’ efforts against COVID-19 last week:
Cyber
Security and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
Encouraging
Support to Nation’s Communications Workers.
On May 26th, CISA in partnership with the Federal Communications
Commission, sent a letter
to the nation’s governors encouraging them to provide necessary access and
resources to the communications workers helping to keep Americans connected
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Countering
Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD)
Enhanced
Screenings at Airports. CWMD contract
personnel are continuing to support the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) with enhanced screenings for travelers through 15 specially
designated airports. As of May 30th, CWMD has processed more than
314,062 travelers for enhanced screening, including 1,528 who were referred
to CDC for further medical evaluation.
Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
FEMA
Continues Deliveries of Needed Medical Supplies. As of May 28th, 6,940 shipments of medical
supplies have been delivered or are in transit to nursing homes in all 56
states and territories. FEMA is coordinating two shipments totaling a 14-day
supply of personal protective equipment to all 15,400 Medicaid and
Medicare-certified nursing homes. The shipments will supplement existing
efforts to provide equipment to nursing homes. As of May 28, FEMA, HHS, and
the private sector combined have coordinated the delivery of, or are
currently shipping: 92.1 million N95 respirators, 146.1 million surgical
masks, 12.7 million face shields, 32.9 million surgical gowns, and over 1
billion pairs of gloves.
FEMA
Assists in Administration’s COVID-19 Testing Strategy. To support the Administration’s Testing Blueprint, FEMA
is working to source and procure testing material – specifically, testing
swabs and transport media. As of May 28, FEMA has procured and delivered 9.9
million swabs and 5.5 million units of media. The FEMA-sourced material will
be provided to states, territories, and tribes for a limited duration to help
increase testing capacity in support of their individualized plans.
Federal
Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC)
FLETC
to Resume On-Site Training Operations.
On May 26th, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) announced
it will start its reengineered training programs for federal law enforcement
officers on June 17, 2020. Students will begin returning to in-residence
sites during the first week of June, 2020.
Office
of Operations Coordination (OPS)
Office
of Operations Coordination Ensuring Departmental Continuity of Operations
(COOP) during COVID-19. OPS works to
implement strategies and capabilities to ensure DHS continuity of operations
during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of May 28th, OPS has held dozens
of resiliency planning meetings and discussions on mission assurance to
enable the Department to share information, lessons learned, and best
practices, ultimately ensuring DHS’ mission-essential functions continue
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Science
and Technology (S&T)
Driving
Evidence-Based Policymaking. On May 26th,
Science and Technology updated its Master Question List (MQL), a compilation of
available research on operationally relevant questions to aid decision makers
in the COVID-19 response. The MQL is a quick-reference guide covering what is
known about the virus, what additional information is needed, and who may be
working to address these fundamental questions. New entries include
references to work showing COVID-19 patients are infectious for approximately
7-10 days after symptom onset and for several days before symptoms begin,
though individuals who have recovered clinically, but test positive appear
unable to transmit COVID-19. Experimental trials suggest surgical masks may
reduce SARS-CoV-2 aerosol transmission. A new section in the
document describes forecasting models currently under development at several
research institutions.
Transportation
Security Administration (TSA)
Keeping
Americans Safe While Ensuring Continuity of U.S. Travel and Commerce. TSA continues to follow CDC guidance to protect
Americans, its workers and the nation’s transportation system, in support of
air travel and all other modes of transportation. Between May 24th
and May 30th, TSA screened more than 2,052,009 passengers, who
have all reached their destinations safely.
Ready
to Ensure Safety During the Summer Travel Period (Memorial Day to Labor Day). Between May 24th and May 30th,
TSA continued to communicate to airline travelers the new normal they can
expect to see at airport screening checkpoints nationwide. The agency has
started implementing changes to airport security screening processes to
reduce the potential for cross-contamination at the security checkpoint in an
effort to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. As summer travel ramps up,
travelers should expect to see changes at airports across the country
including the ability for travelers to keep boarding passes, separating food
containers for X-ray screening, and social distancing.
United
States Coast Guard (USCG)
Monitoring
Vessels that Pose a Risk to Public Health. The Coast Guard continues to monitor the presence of multiple ships
anchored in U.S. territorial waters to ensure they observe the 14-day minimum
wait time required by President Trump’s EO before docking at a U.S. port to
help reduce the spread of foreign originating COVID-19. As of May 29, the
Coast Guard is tracking more than 76 cruise ships anchored, moored, or
underway in U.S. waters, carrying approximately 38,400 crew members from
various countries.
United
States Secret Service (USSS)
U.S.
Secret Service Disrupts COVID-19 Attempted Fraud on Foreign Government. On May 28th, the USSS disrupted a bogus sale
of N-95 face masks to a foreign government by a man in Georgia. The USSS led
the investigation of the potential sale of non-existent N-95 face masks as
part of the government’s COVID-19 Hoarding and Price Gouging Task Force
created by the Department of Justice.
U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
Keeping
the Public Safe from COVID-19-related Fraud. ICE’s Operation Stolen Promise (OSP) targets fraudulent
activity stemming from the pandemic. The initiative combines ICE’s Homeland
Security Investigation’s (HSI) expertise in global trade investigations,
financial fraud, and cyber investigations with robust private and public
partnerships to disrupt and dismantle this criminal activity and strengthen
global supply-chain security. As of May 29th, as part of OSP, the
agency has made 18 criminal arrests, analyzed 36,393 COVID-19-related
domains, seized more than $4,022,371.07 million in illicit proceeds,
disrupted 36 instances of illicit activity, sent 831 leads to domestic and
international field offices, executed 38 search warrants and made 621
COVID-19-related seizures to include prohibited test kits and
pharmaceuticals, counterfeit masks and more.
U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
Resuming
In-Person Services. On May 26th,
USCIS announced it will reopen some offices
to the public on June 4 and resume in-person services, such as interviews and
naturalization ceremonies. CDC prevention guidelines, such as social
distancing, facial masks, and other measures, will be in effect to protect
the USCIS workforce and those visiting USCIS facilities. USCIS has already
begun to conduct naturalization ceremonies prior to
fully resuming in-person services when health and safety precautions can be
followed.
U.S.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
Two
Additional Airports added to List Receiving Flights from Travel-Restricted
Nations. On May 25th,
President Trump added Brazil to the list of travel-restricted countries which have
been highly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. To accommodate the inclusion
of Brazil, George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood
International Airport have been added to the existing list of airports
currently receiving flights from travel-restricted nations, bringing the
total to 15 airports.
Getting
American Citizens Home Safe. As of May
27th, CBP has assisted the State Department in repatriating 96,233
U.S. citizens on 1,035 flights from 139 countries. An additional 80
repatriation flights are scheduled to occur.
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