The 2020 Secretary’s Meritorious Service Silver Medal is the second highest form of recognition bestowed by the Department of Homeland Security. It recognizes outstanding leadership, superior public service, or significant contributions to strengthening homeland security.
Robert F. Janson
United States Customs and Border Protection
For expertly guiding a workforce of 950 staff to rapidly respond to the humanitarian and border security crisis on the southwest border, transition to on-board a new assistant commissioner in February 2020, and ensure workforce safety as co-lead for mission critical CBP response to urgent facility and logistics needs resulting from the pandemic.
Robert Danley
United States Customs and Border Protection
For leveraging innovative methods to deliver consequences for illegal immigration while avoiding negative media and congressional attention by leading CBP efforts with five diverse programs that significantly reduced opportunities for criminal noncitizens to abuse the United States immigration and asylum processes.
Jennifer Pedersen
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
For developing the essential workers guidance that was ultimately adopted in whole or in part by more than 40 states, representing the most used guidance ever published by CISA, and enabled the country to continue operating with the most critical of workers permitted to work during periods of community restriction and closure directives.
Robert Whitehurst
Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction
For leading the department’s efforts with the interagency to deploy an enhanced entry screening capability in response to the COVID pandemic. Utilizing methods built in response to the Ebola virus threat, the department was able to quickly adapt to protect the country from COVID-19 by screening all identified inbound travelers for indicators of the disease and implementing contact tracing.
Gabriel R. Russell
Management Directorate, Federal Protective Service
For leading and managing the Department of Homeland Security’s largest law enforcement task force deployment to Portland, Oregon by assuming responsibility as FPS’ incident commander to lead this monumental effort to ensure the safety and protection of federal personnel and prevent the destruction of federal facilities and property.
John Beattie
Transportation Security Administration
For his exemplary leadership during numerous DHS responses to homeland threats, improvement of TSA intelligence capabilities, and 40 years of dedicated work in counterterrorism and counterintelligence which led to the production of 1,400 reports and 750 law enforcement leads that help safeguard the nation’s transportation system.
James D. Warner
United States Coast Guard
For going to extraordinary lengths and personal risk to establish direct contact with medical providers and identify critical resource needs, establishing triage priorities and coordinating evacuation plans among disparate organizations still reeling from the hurricane’s impact throughout the Bahamas.
Bryan Hemming
United States Citizenship and Immigration Service
For leading his team to successfully administer new screening programs in the Rio Grande valley that enabled DHS to effectively implement critical new processes, including the migrant protection protocols, asylum cooperative agreements, humanitarian asylum review process, and prompt asylum screening review.