Department of Homeland Security

In October 2023, we conducted on-site, unannounced inspections at five U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities in the ElPaso area, specifically three U.S. Border Patrol (Border Patrol) facilities and two Office of Field Operations ports of entry. At the time of our on-site inspection...

During our ongoing audit of the Department of Homeland Security’s learning management system (DHSLearning), we identified a significant risk to the operations, assets, and individuals at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC)...

TSA could not assess the operational impacts to its primary mission of safeguarding the Nation’s transportation system while TSA deployed air marshals to assist U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Southwest border. This occurred because TSA did not establish baseline quantifiable and...

The United States Coast Guard (Coast Guard) took steps to enhance the cyber posture of the Marine Transportation System (MTS) but faces challenges fully implementing cybersecurity readiness efforts to protect the U.S. supply chain. Over the past 2 years, in accordance with its statutory requirements...

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA)Emergency Non-Congregate Sheltering (NCS) Interim Policy104-009-18 (Interim Policy) provided an adequate and effectiveframework during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, theInterim Policy waived the existing pre-approval requirement,allowing for...

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) did not adjudicate affirmative asylum applications in a timely manner to meet statutory timelines and to reduce its existing backlog. At the end of fiscal year 2023, USCIS had more than 1 million asylum cases pending determination. Of those, USCIS...

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region IV has a process for identifying and evaluating single sites damaged by multiple disasters, which it followed in administering Public Assistance in fiscal year 2022 for three federally declared weather-related events in Kentucky. Specifically...

The Department of State (DoS) issues nonimmigrant visas to individuals seeking entry into the United States on a temporary basis for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work, study, or other reasons. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to address staffing limitations and visa...

ICE officers did not always perform risk classification assessments to ensure they appropriately detained or released noncitizens held in ICE custody. According to a 2012 email message from the Executive Associate Director, ICE officers are responsible for completing the risk classification...

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) International Airport office in , and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) office did not have an effective process for detaining and removing inadmissible travelers. Between fiscal years 2021 and 2023, CBP We conducted this evaluation to assess...