On September 26, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) held an awards ceremony in Los Angeles, hosted by the U.S. Secret Service (USSS). During this event, 173 employees were honored with a Secretary’s Award for their significant 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 annual DHS Secretary’s Awards program acknowledges individual and collective achievements within its workforce. This year's awardees include personnel from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG).
“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.”
Among this year’s recipients were those who developed policies for transitioning TSA to a new pay system; initiated operations against Transnational Criminal Organizations in the Darien Gap region; arrested over 8,000 human smugglers; produced over 5,000 intelligence reports; seized over $38 million in real property; provided critical alerts to protect infrastructure from cyberattacks; among other notable accomplishments.
This year marks nine Secretary’s Awards ceremonies across various locations nationwide honoring over 1,700 employees—the highest number ever recognized annually.
Last year saw Secretary Mayorkas announce twelve priorities for DHS including workforce enhancement initiatives. DHS ranks as having one of the largest federal workforces with over 92,000 sworn law enforcement officers—the most among any federal department—and nearly 21% being veterans.
DHS interacts daily with many Americans through various operations such as processing travelers at ports of entry or assisting immigrants applying for services. More information on DHS activities can be found at: DHS.gov/TodayDHSWill.
In previous years DHS has improved noncitizen processing at borders deployed disaster response teams nationwide investigated cybercrimes streamlined asylum application processes resettled nearly 90 thousand Afghans provided cybersecurity resources established refugee processes for Ukrainian nationals secured elections saved lives during emergencies
For a complete list of awardees visit: 2024 Secretary's Awards | Homeland Security (dhs.gov).
