Major Management and Performance Challenges Facing the Department of Homeland Security

This year, we highlighted the underlying causes of the Department's persistent management and performance challenges, which hamper efforts to accomplish the homeland security mission efficiently and effectively. The challenges are two-fold. First, Department leadership must commit itself to ensuring DHS operates more as a single entity rather than a collection of components. The lack of progress in reinforcing a unity of effort translates to a missed opportunity for greater effectiveness. Second, Department leadership must establish and enforce a strong internal control environment typical of a more mature organization. The current environment of relatively weak internal controls affects all aspects of the Department’s mission, from border protection to immigration enforcement and from protection against terrorist attacks and natural disasters to cybersecurity.