Alejandro Mayorkas United States Secretary of Homeland Security | Official Website
On August 15, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) hosted an awards ceremony at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) Headquarters in Glynco, Georgia, where 190 employees received a Secretary’s Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the Department’s mission.
"Every single day, with great determination, integrity, and skill, the 268,000 men and women of the Department of Homeland Security ensure the safety and security of the American people,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Thanks to these extraordinary public servants, our shores, harbors, skies, cyberspace, and borders are protected; fentanyl and other deadly drugs are prevented from entering our country; communities are able to recover and rebuild after a natural disaster; the scourges of human trafficking, forced labor, and online exploitation are mitigated; and so much more. The individuals we recognize today with our Department’s highest honor, the Secretary’s Award, reflect the very best of DHS – and in their selfless dedication to mission, the very best of public service.”
The DHS Secretary’s Awards are an annual program that recognizes extraordinary individual and collective achievements within the workforce. The 190 awardees recognized in today's ceremony represent FLETC, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD) and the Management directorate.
“In recognizing these outstanding DHS personnel with a Secretary’s Award," added Secretary Mayorkas,"we recognize all our talented personnel; the achievements of one are not possible without the contributions of others. We also express our appreciation to their families and loved ones; when one serves, the family serves too."
This year’s award recipients developed policies associated with transitioning to a new pay system for TSA; launched initiatives targeting Transnational Criminal Organizations operating through the Darien Gap region; arrested over 8,000 human smugglers; produced over 5,000 intelligence reports; seized over $38 million USD in real property; ensured over 2,300 vital alerts were provided to critical infrastructure operators against cyberattacks.
This year marks nine Secretary’s Awards ceremonies across the country honoring over 1,700 employees—the most annual awardees ever.
Last year, Secretary Mayorkas unveiled 12 priorities for DHS including championing workforce transformation. DHS has committed to increasing female representation in law enforcement roles at DHS to 30% by 2030. Over 54,000 veterans continue serving by working at DHS.
DHS operational components interact daily with Americans—from travelers moving through ports of entry to businesses importing goods into the country—to immigrants applying for services.
Last year saw improvements in processing noncitizens at Southwest Border facilities; responses to natural disasters nationwide; investigations into cybercrimes; streamlined asylum application processes; resettlement efforts for nearly 90 thousand evacuated Afghans in America; resources provided for cybersecurity resilience enhancement; establishment processes for Ukrainian nationals seeking refuge secured midterm elections heroism displayed during life-saving acts under harrowing circumstances.
For a full list of awardees visit: [2024 Secretary's Awards page](https://www.dhs.gov/secretarys-awards).
###
