Please Note: The content you will see is the actual work product of the QHSR study groups and participants, it is not final, vetted DHS policy.

Securing our Borders Backgrounder

Expanded Goals and Objectives for “Securing our Borders”

Mission Vision Statement

Secure borders that protect the United States from threats [and/while expedite/facilitate] lawful travel and commerce in support of a secure, free, and prosperous America.

Goals and Objectives

Goal 1: Enforce U.S. laws and secure the land, air, and sea borders and approaches to the United States (including the Exclusive Economic Zone), preventing the illegal entry of persons, weapons, dangerous goods, illicit drugs, or other contraband into the United States.

  • Prevent the illegal entry of people, weapons (including WMD), dangerous goods, illicit drugs, or other contraband into the United States.
  • Secure the global trading, transportation, and transactional systems from being used to transport WMD, terrorist or other hostile weapons, the proceeds of crime, illicit drugs, terrorists, smuggled or trafficked persons, or otherwise from being used as a means for criminal activity or for transporting security threats into the United States or anywhere throughout the global economy.
  • Identify, disrupt, and dismantle smuggling, trafficking, or other criminal or terrorist organizations or conspiracies involved in the transport of people, illegal goods, weapons, proceeds of crime, or other threats to the United States.
  • Work with our North American partners to secure the North American perimeter from terrorism or other hostile threats, and establish safe and secure border regions, free from violence.
  • Prevent the illegal export of weapons, funds, and other materials.
  • Prevent introduction into the United States of diseases, pathogens, invasive species, or other organisms that threaten health, food, or agriculture.

Goal 2: Expedite the free flow of lawful travel and commerce through our Ports of Entry and throughout the world.

  • Efficiently process asylum seekers, refugees, or other migrants seeking entry into the United States, consistent with U.S. and relevant international humanitarian laws and national security.
  • Expedite the safe and lawful flow of travel and commerce through U.S. Ports of Entry and throughout the transportation and transactional systems of the global economy.
  • Protect critical border and transnational infrastructure and key assets, such as international bridge crossings, seaports, ports of entry, cross-border pipelines, among other things.
  • Secure U.S. interests in the Exclusive Economic Zone, such as oil and gas reserves, fisheries, and other interests.

The Securing our Borders study group developed its mission vision statement and related goals and objectives through vigorous debate with input from relevant DHS and selected stakeholders. The resulting mission vision statement, “Secure borders that protect the United States from threats and expedite lawful travel and commerce in support of a secure, free, and prosperous America,” defines the study group’s scope. Members are specifically working to balance the concept of secure borders that protect the United States and its citizens from threats with the need to expedite travel and commerce to provide the foundation for a healthy economy. The study group is considering land, air and sea borders and approaches to the United States, both at and between ports of entry.

The Securing our Borders study group has consolidated its work into two essential goals and ten related objectives. The first goal addresses the need to “enforce U.S. laws and secure the land, air, and sea borders and approaches to the United States (including the Exclusive Economic Zone), preventing the illegal entry of persons, weapons, dangerous goods, illicit drugs, or other contraband.” Several of the objectives listed in the Securing our Borders section of the National Dialogue map to this goal. For instance, the first six objectives directly address the movement of illegal people, goods, and things, such as terrorists, illegal weapons, proceeds of crime, and diseases.

The second goal, to “expedite the smooth flow of lawful travel and commerce through our Ports of Entry and throughout the world,” is connected to the last four objectives. The safe, lawful, and secure flow of immigration, travel, and commerce is crucial to the health of both the United States’ and global systems of movement. Actions must, however, be consistent with U.S. legal, national security, and humanitarian obligations. The theme of cooperation with international, state, local, tribal and private partners runs through all ten objectives.