The United States Department of Homeland Security is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries.

Why was the DHS created?

In the wake of the September 11 attacks in 2001, Pres. George W. Bush created the Office of Homeland Security, to coordinate counterterrorism efforts by federal, state, and local agencies; and the Homeland Security Council, to advise the president on homeland security matters.

Who signed the Homeland Security Act of 2002?

In 2003, Congress passed and President Bush signed into law the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which consolidated 22 diverse agencies and bureaus into the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with a mandate of preventing and responding to natural and man-made disasters.