Homeland Security | Council on Foreign Relations

How the U.S. Patrols Its Borders

President Joe Biden’s attempts to grapple with a record number of migrants are keeping the role of enforcement at the center of the debate over U.S. asylum, border, and deportation policy.

Backgrounder by Diana Roy, Amelia Cheatham, and Claire Klobucista Jun 18, 2024

Is Huawei a Security Threat?

Huawei faces accusations that Beijing could use its 5G infrastructure for espionage. The outcome of the struggle could shape the world’s tech landscape for years to come.

Backgrounder by Noah Berman, Lindsay Maizland, and Andrew Chatzky Feb 8, 2023

The U.S. Struggle With Migrant Flows in Ten Graphics

Migration to the United States reached record levels in 2022. Here’s a look at the year’s major immigration stories.

Article by Diana Roy Dec 1, 2022

Biden’s New Southern Border Plan Might Just Work

The balance of loathing from the left and right suggests the administration is on the right path.

Article by Edward Alden Apr 12, 2023

The Violent Far-Right Terrorist Threat to the U.S. Military

White supremacist extremism threatens violence against institutions conservatives cherish, including the U.S. military.

Blog Post by Jacob Ware Jan 31, 2023

United States

The President’s Inbox Recap: Far-Right Terrorism

Far-right extremist violence threatens American democracy.

Blog Post by Michelle Kurilla January 4, 2024 The Water's Edge
United States

Kenneth A. Moskow Memorial Lecture: A Conversation With Liz Sherwood-Randall

White House Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall discusses how the Biden Administration prepares for and responds to a broad range of threats to the Homeland. The Kenneth A. Moskow Memorial Lecture on Homeland Security and Counterterrorism honors the memory of longtime Council member Kenneth A. Moskow, who made this event possible through a generous bequest. His intent was to establish an annual event to bring together the leaders of the intelligence community and promote discussion on critical issues in counterterrorism.

Virtual Event by Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall and Richard Haass May 24, 2023 Kenneth A. Moskow Memorial Lecture
Immigration and Migration

South Korea-Japan Summit, U.S. Border Policy Changes, U.S. Annual Threat Assessment, and More

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio meets with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in Seoul, South Korea; major pandemic-related U.S. immigration policies such as Title 42 end, straining an already overwhelmed southern border; the director of national intelligence and the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency brief a Senate panel on the top international threats to U.S. national security; and the U.S. Congress debates a plan to prevent default.

Podcast with Robert McMahon and Carla Anne Robbins May 4, 2023 The World Next Week

Experts in this Topic

Luciana L. Borio

Senior Fellow for Global Health

Tina Peña

Military Fellow, U.S. Coast Guard

Jacob Ware

Research Fellow

United States

Tackling an Evolving Threat Landscape: Homeland Security in 2023

Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas reflects on the twenty years since the Department of Homeland Security’s formation and reviews the evolving security challenges of today and tomorrow, including the steps being taken to prepare for potential threats like the swift development of artificial intelligence and rise in nation-state aggression.

Event with Alejandro N. Mayorkas and Margaret Brennan April 21, 2023 Renewing America
United States

Asa Hutchinson: A Distinguished Career in Domestic Counterterrorism

The veteran Republican politician tackled the violent far right in the 1980s, with considerable success.

Blog Post by Jacob Ware April 3, 2023 Renewing America
United States

Can Biden’s New Asylum Policy Help Solve the Migrant Crisis?

The Biden administration’s proposed immigration policy aims to curb migrant flows to the United States amid record border crossings. What will it do, and how does it compare to the Trump years?

In Brief by Diana Roy March 7, 2023 Renewing America

United States

Ten Graphics That Explain the U.S. Struggle With Migrant Flows in 2022

Spurred on by worsening economic and political crises across Latin America, migration to the United States reached record levels in 2022. Here’s a look at the year’s major immigration stories.

Article by Diana Roy December 1, 2022 Renewing America
United States

Elections, Violence, and the Future of American Democracy

Violence during the election season undermines the United States’ democracy, its relationship with allies, and its strength against adversaries.

Blog Post by Jacob Ware October 3, 2022 Renewing America
United States

How U.S. Gun Policies Compare With the World’s

The debate over gun laws has raged in Washington for decades, often reigniting after high-profile mass shootings. In mid-2022, Congress passed a rare, compromise gun control bill, but critics say it still leaves the United States with some of the loosest gun laws in the world. Here’s how the United States and some other advanced democracies have responded to gun violence.

Explainer Video with Jonathan Masters and Thamine Nayeem July 13, 2022
Syria

Bringing Justice Home: Dispatches from the ISIS ‘Beatles’ Trial

Terrorists fail when we choose light over darkness—when peaceful justice prevails over anger and fear.

Article by Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware June 10, 2022 National Security and Defense Program
United States

U.S. Gun Policy: Global Comparisons

The United States is witnessing another year of record gun violence, raising domestic and international scrutiny of its comparatively loose gun laws and placing pressure on lawmakers to enact meaningful reforms.

Backgrounder by Jonathan Masters June 10, 2022
United States

How Police Compare in Different Democracies

Recent killings by U.S. officers have sparked widespread calls for police reform and an end to systemic racism. Here’s how U.S. policing compares with other countries’ approaches.

Backgrounder by Amelia Cheatham and Lindsay Maizland March 29, 2022 Renewing America
United States

Why Biden Is Restarting the Trump-Era ‘Remain in Mexico’ Program

Tens of thousands of migrants have been sent back to Mexico under the Trump-era program. President Biden calls it “inhumane” but has so far been unable to end it.

In Brief by Diana Roy January 27, 2022 Renewing America
Middle East and North Africa

Unvaccinated Police Officers Could Become America’s Own Insurgents

Iraq and Egypt show how hard it is to get rid of a militarized security force.

Article by Steven A. Cook October 28, 2021 Middle East Program
Mexico

Mexico

Experts argue that Mexico affects daily life in the United States more than any other country. For years, U.S. and Mexican officials have attempted to tackle immigration, trade, and security challenges, and their success has depended on cooperation. With so much at stake, Why It Matters investigates the complex relationship and the factors that threaten it.

Podcast with Gabrielle Sierra October 14, 2021 Why It Matters