Project Shield America (PSA) spreads awareness to stop terrorists, criminal organizations and foreign adversaries from obtaining U.S. military items and controlled dual-use commodities, technology and technical data.
Foreign adversaries actively work to gain access to large quantities of U.S. and western technology by various means, both legal and illegal. Sometimes U.S. weapons and technology have been used against American soldiers, citizens, and allies.
HSI works closely with industry and academia to increase public awareness of export controls and assist private industry and academic institutions in understanding current export control laws, sanctions and embargoes.
HSI's 4-pronged export enforcement and industry outreach includes:
- Inspection and Interdiction: Specially trained U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers inspect outbound shipments for violations of U.S. export laws and report violations to HSI for investigation.
- Investigations: HSI special agents investigate export violations, seize illegal shipments of controlled technology and munitions and pursue the arrest, prosecution and conviction of violators.
- Industry Outreach: HSI agents conduct outreach visits with industry officials to educate them about U.S. export laws and to solicit their assistance in preventing illegal foreign acquisition of their products.
- International Cooperation: HSI attachés in foreign countries enlist the support of their host governments to initiate investigative leads and to develop information in support of ongoing domestic investigations. HSI also supports the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), which was formed to increase international cooperation in interdicting illegal shipments of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), their delivery systems, and related materials.
Some of the strategic technology most urgently desired by our adversaries include:
- Modern manufacturing technology for the production of microelectronics, computers, digital electronic components and signal processing systems.
- Technology for developing aircraft, missile and other tactical weapon delivery systems.
- All types of advanced signal and weapons detection, tracking and weapons monitoring systems.
- Night vision technology.
- Technology and equipment used in the construction of nuclear weapons and materials.
- Biological and chemical warfare agents and their precursors.
How You Can Help
All businesses that are involved in any aspect of high-technology research, development or production are potential targets and can be exploited. There are 4 major areas in which U.S. businesses can assist us in stemming the illegal flow of equipment, technology and munitions to unauthorized destinations:
- Identify inquiries and orders for production parts or technology that are likely to be shipping outside the U.S., and ensure these transactions are reviewed by export specialists.
- Ensure that your export specialists understand export controls and follow appropriate screening and licensing procedures.
- Make certain that employees—whether they live, travel or transmit information abroad, or merely come into contact with foreigners visiting the U.S.—fully understand that the U.S. government restricts the flow of certain technical data or know-how, whether in written, oral or visual form.
- Ensuring that suspicious contacts are reported to HSI as quickly as possible.
If you have information relating to any suspicious circumstances surrounding export transactions of high-technology items or services, contact the HSI tip line at 1-877-4-HSI-TIP.