The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recognized more than 1,300 employees Wednesday for outstanding achievement and their commitment to the agency's mission.
Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, announced the annual Secretary’s Awards celebrating the “extraordinary achievements” of 1,341 employees, according to a DHS press release.
“Every day, the men and women of the department respond to cyberattacks; save lives by sea and air; secure our nation’s borders and critical infrastructure; and deploy across the country to help Americans recover from disasters; and so much more,” Mayorkas said in the release. “Their achievements aren’t only on the front lines, but also extend behind the scenes to modernize and streamline the department’s processes in order to better relationships between the Department and the people we serve,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “It is the honor of my life to lead this Department and to recognize some of the extraordinary public servants who safeguard our nation and keep us all safe.”
Award recipients had numerous impacts on a national and international scale including streamlining noncitizen processing at the Southwest border, investigating cybercrime, resettling approximately 90,000 Afghan refugees in the United States, securing the 2022 midterm elections, and establishing procedures for Ukrainian nationals seeking refuge.
“It’s not hyperbole to suggest you’re heroes,” President Joe Biden, said in an address to DHS employees. “You’re patriots who possess a rare commitment — a rare commitment to your fellow Americans, showing the American people how their government works for them. You give them confidence. You represent the best of us: duty, devotion, courage, honor, service before self. It’s truly noble.”
Mayorkas and DHS officials will present the awards at eight regional ceremonies across the United States, according to the release. The first ceremony was held in Tucson, Arizona, March 21.