Legal Definitions - Homeland Security Act of 2002

The Homeland Security Act of 2002 was a law passed by the United States government after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The law created a new government department called the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and reorganized many other agencies responsible for national security and disaster response.

Before the law was passed, there were many different agencies responsible for different parts of national security and disaster response. However, they did not always work well together or share information effectively. This made it easier for the terrorists to carry out their attacks.

The Homeland Security Act of 2002 created the DHS to bring all of these agencies together under one department. The DHS was given the responsibility of coordinating intelligence and information from different agencies to prevent future attacks. It was also given control over security at entry points into the United States, transportation, and other infrastructure.

For example, before the law was passed, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was responsible for managing disaster response. However, after the law was passed, FEMA was absorbed into the DHS, which became responsible for managing disaster response.

The Homeland Security Act of 2002 was an important step in improving national security and disaster response in the United States. By creating the DHS and bringing different agencies together, the government hoped to prevent future attacks and respond more effectively to disasters.