Law Enforcement Survey
July 31st, 2008 . by HSLEADERThis survey is being conducted by the DHS/Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in partnership with the University of North Carolina.
IF YOU HAVE NOT YET COMPLETED THIS IMPORTANT SURVEY…..PLEASE CONSIDER DOING IT NOW. THE RESULTS WILL IDENTIFY TRAINING GAPS THAT DHS/FLETC WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS
PURPOSE OF THE SURVEY:
Computer crimes pose a variety of threats to computer users around the globe. Attacks can come from internal or external attackers and take various forms including hacks and viruses that utilize or corrupt Internet services and computing resources. Businesses, universities, and individuals are all at risk of victimization, and require law enforcement assistance to deal with this challenging new form of crime. There is, however, a lack of research on the capacity for law enforcement to effectively handle computer crime cases.
The proposed research will address multiple issues including:
1. the ways that computer crimes are defined and measured by local law enforcement agencies, and the frequency of reported offenses;
2. the staffing, training, and preparation of local law enforcement agencies to handle computer crime;
3. the perceived severity, prevalence, and importance of computer crime among management in local law enforcement agencies
This research is needed to understand the nature and scope of law enforcement investigations to deal with computer crime. The findings can also identify gaps in the knowledge base of the law enforcement community that can be improved through training programs.
This survey should take no longer than 15-20 minutes to complete.
To take the survey, click here http://www.surveyshare.com/survey/take/?sid=72476 .
Israeli Shoots Handcuffed Palestinian With Rubber Bullet
July 29th, 2008 . by HSLEADERFrom Reuters
A video released by an Israeli human rights group has sparked a military investigation into the abuse of a Palestinian protester by an Israeli soldier.
The video released by B’Tselem this weekend shows a soldier firing a rubber-coated bullet near the foot of a West Bank man whose hands were bound and whose eyes were blindfolded. The man, Ashraf Abu Rahmeh, said Monday he was lightly hurt by the riot control weapon and treated at the scene. Abu Rahmeh said he was arrested at a demonstration after troops imposed a curfew on the town of Naalin in an attempt to quell protests against the West Bank separation barrier Israel is building nearby. Soldiers took him to an army jeep and seized his ID card. Then, he said, “They shot me in the foot, in the toe.”
B’Tselem obtained the videotape from a Palestinian girl who said she filmed the incident from her home on July 7, spokeswoman Sarit Michaeli said. She demanded that the military take steps against the soldier and an officer who is seen holding Abu Rahmeh’s arm when the soldier fired. In a statement sent to the AP on Monday, the military called the incident a “stark violation” of its rules of conduct and safety, and said military police were investigating.
Today at DHS - Thursday, July 23
July 24th, 2008 . by HSLEADER
8:30 AM EDT Under Secretary for Science and Technology Jay M. Cohen will deliver remarks at the Implementing Privacy Protections in Government Data Mining Workshop (Washington, DC).10:00 AM EDT Transportation Security Administration Administrator Kip Hawley will testify before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Subcommittee on Aviation on aviation security (2167 Rayburn House Office Building).
Today at DHS - Wednesday, July 23
July 23rd, 2008 . by HSLEADER
10:00 AM EDT Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Charles Allen will testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee on information sharing (342 Dirksen Senate Office Building).
11:30 AM EDT U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad W. Allen will deliver remarks at the National Naval Officers Association Conference (Portsmouth, VA).
Passport “Card” Program Expanding Quickly
July 22nd, 2008 . by HSLEADERFrom Joint DHS/State Release
The U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that the new U.S. Passport Card is in full production and is now being distributed. The Passport Card is a convenient, wallet-sized document for land and sea travel between the United States and Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. It is not valid for international travel by air.
Beginning in June 2009, travelers will be required to present a single Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative-compliant document denoting both citizenship and identity when entering the United States through a land or sea border.
More than 350,000 Americans pre-ordered the U.S. Passport Cards since the State Department began taking orders on February 1. Over 7,600 cards have already been mailed to advance customers, and all pre-orders are expected to be filled by September 30, 2008. After that initial distribution, the processing time for passport cards should be the same as for passport books – less than four weeks. Customers will be able to track the progress of their passport card application online beginning in mid-August.
The passport card will facilitate the frequent travel of Americans living in border communities by utilizing a vicinity-read radio frequency identification (RFID) chip. With this technology, DHS’ U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers will be able to access photographs and other biographical information stored in secure government databases before the traveler reaches the inspection booth so that inspection can be facilitated. For privacy protection, no personal information is stored on the electronic chip itself. The chip will have only a unique number pointing to a stored record contained in secure government databases.
“We are pleased to offer Americans a choice of documents, the traditional passport book, and now the passport card, to meet their personal needs for international travel,” said Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Janice L. Jacobs. “The passport card is the newest addition to the Department’s long history of providing secure, reliable services to the American traveling public.”
“We have been working closely with the U.S. Department of State to be able to provide another type of secure identification that is vital to protecting our nation’s borders” said Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Policy Stewart Baker. “The new passport cards will help facilitate legitimate travel while allowing our frontline personnel to focus more on those who may pose a threat.”
The Passport Card is available for $45 for first-time adult applicants and $35 for children under 16. Adults who currently have valid passports can apply for the passport card by mail for $20.
Information on how to apply for a U.S. Passport Card or the traditional passport book is at travel.state.gov.
Fact Sheet: Iraqi Refugee Processing
July 22nd, 2008 . by HSLEADERFrom DHS Release
U.S. Refugee Admissions Program
The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) is an inter-agency partnership of many governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGO), both overseas and domestically, whose mission is to resettle refugees in the United States. The U.S. Department of State’s (DOS) Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) has overall management responsibility for the USRAP and has the lead in proposing admissions numbers and processing priorities. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is responsible for interviewing refugee applicants and adjudicating applications for refugee status. Through its cooperative agreements with overseas processing entities, PRM handles the intake of refugee referrals from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and U.S. embassies, certain NGOs, the prescreening of cases and the out-processing of individuals for travel to the United States.
Iraqi Refugee Processing
Part of the refugee program’s important humanitarian mission is to offer resettlement opportunities to especially vulnerable Iraqi refugees. Since large-scale Iraqi refugee processing was announced in February 2007, DHS and DOS have worked cooperatively to increase the number of Iraqi refugees admitted as part of the worldwide commitment. DHS and DOS have been committed to streamlining the process for admitting Iraqi refugees to the United States while ensuring the highest level of security. DHS and DOS share responsibility for initiating security checks for Iraqi refugee applicants.
In the last year, the USRAP dramatically expanded its capacity to consider Iraqi refugees for resettlement.
Since the program began in fiscal year 2007, as of July 2, 2008, 30,184 Iraqi individuals have been referred for resettlement to the USRAP. USCIS has interviewed 22,536 Iraqi refugee applicants, approved 15,533 for resettlement and 8,217 Iraqi refugees have arrived in the United States.
Process for Resettlement
In identifying Iraqi cases for referral to the USRAP, UNHCR and DOS have prioritized 11 categories of especially vulnerable refugees, including individuals who are affiliated with the U.S. government and religious minorities, among others.
Iraqi refugees may gain access to this program through referrals from UNHCR, a U.S. embassy, or certain NGOs. Iraqi applicants who worked for the U.S. government, a U.S. contractor, or a U.S.-based media organization or NGO, and their family members, can apply directly without a UNHCR referral in Jordan, Egypt and Iraq. In addition, Iraqi applicants will be considered for resettlement if an eligible family member applies on their behalf in the United States. The vast majority of cases processed so far by the USRAP have been referrals from UNHCR.
USCIS officers are interviewing Iraqi refugee applicants primarily in Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Turkey, and Lebanon. DOS and DHS have also begun refugee processing in Iraq for certain Iraqis who are associated with the United States and their family members.
Determining Eligibility for Refugees
Eligibility for refugee status is decided on a case-by-case basis. A USCIS officer conducts a personal interview of the applicant designed to elicit information about the applicant’s admissibility and claim for refugee status. During the interview, the officer confirms the basic biographical data of the applicant; verifies that the applicant was properly given access to the USRAP; determines whether the applicant has suffered past persecution or has a well-founded fear of future persecution on the basis of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion in his or her home country. The officer also determines whether the applicant is admissible to the United States and whether he or she has been firmly resettled in another country; and assesses the credibility of the applicant.
Ensuring Security
We are committed to conducting the most rigorous screening in order to ensure that those being admitted through the refugee program are not seeking to harm the United States. On May 29, 2007, DHS announced and implemented an administration-coordinated, enhanced background and security check process for Iraqi refugees applying for resettlement in the United States. No case is finally approved until results from all security checks have been received and analyzed. The enhanced security checks do not impede the flow of genuine refugees to the United States, since this process runs concurrently with other out-processing steps. On average, the total processing time for Iraqi cases is significantly less than for any other refugee group worldwide.
Procedures for Iraqi Citizens Currently in the U.S.
Iraqis currently in the United States who are not able to return to Iraq because they have been persecuted or fear that they will be persecuted on account of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion may apply for asylum with USCIS. Information on the process of applying for asylum in the United States is on the USCIS website: www.USCIS.gov. To view the asylum information, click on the Services and Benefits link, then Humanitarian Benefits and then Asylum.
Procedures for Iraqi Citizens Living Outside of Iraq
Refugees and asylum seekers should seek to comply with all legal requirements of the country in which they are located, including registration with host governments if required. In addition, all Iraqi asylum seekers located in third countries should register with the nearest UNHCR office.
UNHCR has the international mandate to provide protection and assistance to refugees and may be able to provide a protection document and possibly other assistance if needed. For a small number of extremely vulnerable individuals, this could include referral to the USRAP or another country’s resettlement program. UNHCR will identify individuals for resettlement referral based on an assessment of their vulnerability at the time of registration.
In Jordan and Egypt, direct access to the USRAP is available to direct-hire employees of the U.S. Mission in Iraq and other Iraqis who worked for the U.S. government or U.S. government contractors, or for U.S.-based media organizations or NGOs and their family members. Any Iraqi who has fled to Jordan or Egypt because of his or her association with the United States is encouraged to contact the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to receive guidance. E-mail IOM in Jordan at AmmanInfoCenter@iom.int and in Egypt at CairoInfoCenter@iom.int.
Procedures for Iraqi Citizens Currently in Iraq
In Iraq, direct access to the USRAP is available to direct-hire employees of the U.S. Mission in Iraq and other Iraqis who worked for the U.S. government or U.S. government contractors, or for United States-based media organizations or NGOs, and their family members. Any Iraqi who believes he or she is at risk or has experienced serious harm as a result of association with the United States is encouraged to contact the IOM to receive guidance. E-mail IOM in Iraq at BaghdadInfoCenter@iom.int.
Please visit the DOS/PRM website: www.state.gov/g/prm for additional information.
Special Immigrant Visas for Iraqis
Iraqi nationals who supported the U.S. armed forces or Chief of Mission authority as translators or interpreters, or Iraqi nationals who were or are employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Iraq on or after March 20, 2003, for a period of at least one year may be eligible for Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) processing. The SIV program is separate and distinct from the USRAP. However, certain Iraqi SIV recipients are eligible for the same resettlement assistance, entitlement programs, and other benefits as refugees admitted under the refugee program.
Today at DHS - Tuesday, July 22
July 22nd, 2008 . by HSLEADER
10:30 AM EDT Office of Health Affairs Assistant Secretary Jeffrey Runge and Operations Coordination Principle Federal Officer George Naccara will testify before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity and Science and Technology on emerging cyber threats and public health preparedness (Rhode Island State House, Providence, RI).
12:00 PM CDT Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Programs Anne Petera will deliver remarks on department transition planning during the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Task Force at the National Conference for State Legislatures Annual Conference (New Orleans, LA).
12:30 PM EDT Transportation Security Administration Administrator Kip Hawley will deliver the keynote address at the AeroClub of Washington monthly luncheon series (Washington, DC).
2:00 PM EDT Transportation Security Administration Deputy Administrator Gale Rossides will testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce on pay for performance systems in the federal government (340 Dirksen Senate Office Building).
3:30 PM PDT Assistant Secretary of the Private Sector Office Al Martinez-Fonts will participate in a roundtable discussion on initiatives allowing critical infrastructure stakeholders to share information and create a more disaster resilient region at the Pacific Northwest Economic Region 18th Annual Summit (Vancouver, British Columbia).
3:30 PM EDT Chief Privacy Officer Hugo Teufel III will deliver remarks at the Advance Learning Institute’s 2008 Biometrics for Government Conference on the importance of privacy in biometrics applications (Washington, DC).
