The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the US has a number of subcomponents and agencies that make up the entire organization. These various components can generally be categorized into three major groups: department components, secretary offices, and advisory panels and committees. Within these three subdivisions there are a number of different Homeland Security agencies, such as the Science and Technology Directorate, the Office of the Inspector General, and the US Secret Service.
Of the three subcomponents of the DHS, many are typically referred to as department components. These typically include various offices and directorates that oversee different aspects of the DHS and work to ensure national security. The Homeland Security agencies that are components of the DHS include Directorates for National Protection and Programs, Science and Technology, and Management, as well as Offices of Policy, Health Affairs, Intelligence and Analysis, and Operations Coordination and Planning. Components of the DHS also include the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, the Transportation Security Administration, and US Customs and Border Protection.
Other components of the DHS include the US Coast Guard, Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Secret Service. There are also a number of secretary offices that serve as Homeland Security agencies in overseeing other aspects of national security. These include the Privacy Office, the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, the Office of Inspector General, the Office of Legislative Affairs, the Office of the General Counsel, and the Office of Public Affairs. The various offices that exist as Homeland Security offices are each overseen by a secretary and also include the Office of Counternarcotics Enforcement, the Office of the Executive Secretariat, the Military Adviser’s Office, and the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.
A number of Homeland Security agencies act as advisory panels and committees both to the DHS and to other agencies within the federal government. These include the Homeland Security Advisory Council, the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, the Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee, and the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council. There are also several interdepartmental Homeland Security agencies including the Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities, the Task Force on New Americans, and the Department of Homeland Security Labor-Management Forum. These agencies typically work among departments and agencies within the federal government to ensure coordination for the proper execution of major national programs.
