Open Recommendations

We recommend that the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties evaluate the personnel resources needed to meet civil rights and civil liberties oversight requirements and act as needed based on the results of the evaluation.

We recommend that the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties finalize its Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework or implement an alternative process to provide oversight of DHS artificial intelligence’s compliance with civil rights and civil liberties considerations.

We recommend that CBP implement DHS’ enterprise process to identify, assess, and track AI use cases or implement a component specific process to identify, assess, and document artificial intelligence use cases and the associated data required for the Department’s mandated public reporting of artificial intelligence.

We recommend that CISA implement DHS’ enterprise process to identify, assess, and track AI use cases or implement a component specific process to identify, assess, and document artificial intelligence use cases and the associated data required for the Department’s mandated public reporting of artificial intelligence.

We recommend that FEMA implement DHS’ enterprise process to identify, assess, and track AI use cases or implement a component specific process to identify, assess, and document artificial intelligence use cases and the associated data required for the Department’s mandated public reporting of artificial intelligence.

We recommend that ICE implement DHS’ enterprise process to identify, assess, and track AI use cases or implement a component specific process to identify, assess, and document artificial intelligence use cases and the associated data required for the Department’s mandated public reporting of artificial intelligence.

We recommend that TSA implement DHS’ enterprise process to identify, assess, and track AI use cases or implement a component specific process to identify, assess, and document artificial intelligence use cases and the associated data required for the Department’s mandated public reporting of artificial intelligence.

We recommend that USCIS implement DHS’ enterprise process to identify, assess, and track AI use cases or implement a component specific process to identify, assess, and document artificial intelligence use cases and the associated data required for the Department’s mandated public reporting of artificial intelligence.

We recommend that Secret Service implement DHS’ enterprise process to identify, assess, and track AI use cases or implement a component specific process to identify, assess, and document artificial intelligence use cases and the associated data required for the Department’s mandated public reporting of artificial intelligence.

We recommend that the DHS Chief Technology Officer Directorate develop and implement a formalized process to review, validate, and approve data that components provide for DHS’ mandated reporting of the Department’s artificial intelligence use.

We recommend that the DHS Chief Technology Officer Directorate develop and implement procedures to ensure components provide accurate and complete data for DHS’ mandated reporting of the Department’s artificial intelligence use.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration, in coordination with the Bureau of Diplomatic Technology and Bureau of Diplomatic Security, assess the extent to which electronic messaging applications, including Signal, are used at posts worldwide to conduct Department of State business.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration, in coordination with the Bureau of Diplomatic Technology and Bureau of Diplomatic Security, determine the availability of acceptable alternative procedures and methods for preserving federal records from electronic messaging applications by (1) identifying alternative methods for preserving records from electronic messaging applications without export functions and (2) determining whether replicating electronic messaging correspondence in cables, emails, or official reports is an acceptable alternative means of preserving records of these communications.

OIG recommends that, if alternative procedures and methods for preserving federal records from electronic messaging applications are identified following implementation of Recommendation 5, the Bureau of Administration update the guidance for retaining electronic messages in the Foreign Affairs Manual and Records Guidance for Electronic Messages accordingly.

OIG recommends that, following the implementation of Recommendations 4, 5, and 6, the Bureau of Administration, in coordination with the Bureau of Diplomatic Technology and Bureau of Diplomatic Security, reevaluate the general prohibition on certain electronic messaging applications and update the Foreign Affairs Manual accordingly.

KPMG recommends that FHWA management clearly and consistently communicate change management requirements per the FHWA Configuration and Change Management Process policy to the control operators.

KPMG recommends that FHWA management review and update accounting policies and operating procedures to capitalize costs for the construction and procurement of non-heritage fixed assets on behalf of FLH's FLMA partners.

KPMG recommends that FHWA management establish and maintain communications channels with FLMA partners of other ongoing projects and establish protocols for communicating asset-level detail for projects required by each agency's property accountants.

KPMG recommends that FHWA management complete performance of an assessment of costs expensed for completed fixed asset construction projects to determine materiality and record remaining correcting accounting entries as needed.

KPMG recommends that ESC enhance the design of the CTA control procedures to ensure that all information used in the reconciliations are complete and accurate, including adequate consideration of transactions that may impact period-end financial reporting.

KPMG recommends that ESC document in its Standard Operating Procedure and communicate clearly defined objectives and requirements related to compliance with the Treasury requirement to reconcile all pertinent activity at the BETC level.

KPMG recommends that ESC perform a review of the population of journal entries prior to the finalization of quarterly financials to ensure the complete population of journal entries was subject to the approval control during the period.

KPMG recommends that ESC perform a review of the population of journal entries prior to the finalization of quarterly financials to ensure all journal entries were recorded.

KPMG recommends that OST establish (or revise), communicate, and enforce an internal timeline, inclusive of a deadline(s) for when Operating Administrations need to provide their respective information to OST-B30 and the General Counsel office, that allows for sufficient time to gather, review, and draft the consolidated Legal Letter and Management Schedule.

KPMG recommends that OST perform a more robust review in completing the consolidated Legal Letter and Management Schedule to ensure the process/control is performed accurately and completely.