Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard
Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard : "The Coast Guard's fundamental responsibilities -- preparedness, protection, response and recovery -- cut across all facets of the Department's mission. Every day since the September 11th terrorist attacks, the Coast Guard pushes our maritime borders farther from shore. All ships bound for the U.S., regardless of registry, face a multi-layered, interagency security screening process in addition to traditional safety, environmental and operational standards enforcement, plus random boardings?. The Coast Guard has also created highly trained and specially equipped Maritime Safety and Security Teams to add an extra layer of security and additional quick-response capabilities in key U.S. ports. But let me make one thing clear. The new Department will not lose focus of the Coast Guard's other critical missions. From search and rescue, anti-drug and illegal migrant patrols to fisheries enforcement and aids to navigation, I will work personally to ensure that the Department continues to support the entirety of the Coast Guard mission. (DHS, The Nomination of The Honorable Tom Ridge to be Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, January 19, 2003). "The US Coast Guard (USCG) is a Military Service within the DHS dedicated to protecting the safety and security of the United States. As such, it operates globally; on the high seas and in US territorial waters, and has certain federal law enforcement authorities ashore. It is a federal LEA and an Armed Force of the United States whose Service secretary is the Secretary of DHS. It is the lead agency for maritime drug interdiction and the co-lead agency for air drug interdiction operations, along with US Customs and Border Protection. The USCG defends the United States' seaward frontier against illegal drugs and illegal immigrants. The USCG is also the lead agency for maritime search and rescue. The USCG is the lead agency for coordinating all maritime security planning and operations in the ports and inland waterways, including all efforts to prevent attacks and to mitigate the consequences of an attack should one occur. The USCG's counterterrorism teams are ready to intercept terrorists before they ever reach the homeland. In time of war, the USCG could be transferred to the Department of the Navy for operations. In its maritime law enforcement role, USCG has jurisdiction in both US waters and on the high seas. In this capacity, the USCG may make inquiries, examinations, inspections, searches, seizures, and arrests upon the high seas and waters over which the US has jurisdiction, for prevention, detection, and suppression of violations of laws of the US. It is unique among the Services in that it has statutory law enforcement authority". (JCS/DoD, Civil Support, 2007, pp. II-16-17)
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