WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Senior Official Performing the Duties of Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) and Coordinator for Counterterrorism, John D. Cohen, met with the State and Local Intelligence Council (SLIC) in Washington, D.C. on July 20-21, 2021. This was the first in-person meeting since the pandemic for the council.
In support of Secretary Mayorkas’s commitment to increasing the Department’s collaboration with state and local partners, I&A is expanding its intelligence and information analysis, production, and sharing capabilities; ensuring state and local partners have the information they need to protect their local communities, while also protecting privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.
“The current threat environment facing the United States is complex, multi-faceted, and constantly evolving. The Department is addressing a broad range of threats, including disinformation campaigns and cyber-attacks by foreign states and criminal organizations, threats posed by foreign terrorist groups, and increased levels of violence perpetrated by domestic violent extremists, transnational criminal organizations and gangs, or others who conduct targeted acts of violence. These threats are impacting the safety and security of local communities across the country, and we need to work closely with our partners to share timely and useful information,” said Senior Official Performing the Duties of Under Secretary for I&A and Coordinator for Counterterrorism John D. Cohen. “It is critical we engage in routine and meaningful conversations with our partners, so that we all can operate from a common understanding of the threat landscape and work together effectively to prevent acts of violence in our communities.”
Under the leadership of Secretary Mayorkas, I&A will continue to work closely with state, local, tribal, and territorial partners to strengthen its relationships and enhance information sharing between critical Homeland Security stakeholders.