Statement by DHS Secretary on the 20th Anniversary of the Homeland Security Act of 2002

The following press release was published by the US Department of Homeland Security on Nov. 25. It is reproduced in full below.

WASHINGTON - Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas issued the following statement on the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Homeland Security Act of 2002: “Twenty years ago today, the Homeland Security Act of 2002 was signed into law – paving the way for the creation of our Department. In a bipartisan spirit, Members of Congress, President George W. Bush, and our first leader, Governor Tom Ridge, conceptualized and championed what would become the Department of Homeland Security. Two decades later, we see more than ever the wisdom of, and need for, our Cabinet-level Department charged with the responsibility to secure the American people, our homeland, and our values. On this anniversary, we are especially grateful to all those who built DHS, our partners who keep our communities and country safe, and the nearly 250,000 DHS employees who carry out our mission every day.” ###

Source: US Department of Homeland Security