WASHINGTON – On Monday, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas swore in 33 new members of the Homeland Security Advisory Council (“the Council”) at its first meeting since its reconstitution. During the meeting, Secretary Mayorkas and Council members discussed innovative solutions to address some of the most complex homeland security-related challenges facing our country.
“National security issues have become indistinguishable from homeland security issues, placing the Department of Homeland Security at the center of tackling many of the most pressing challenges of our time,” said Secretary Mayorkas. “I am proud to officially welcome and swear in new members of this distinguished Council, who are leaders of tremendous prominence, not only in their respective fields of expertise, industry, and profession, but also on the national and international stage. Together, we will address some of the most fundamental issues facing our nation today, which impact millions of people’s lives daily.”
During the meeting, Council members heard from senior officials about Biden Administration priorities, current geopolitical risks, and the evolving threat landscape. The Secretary and Council members also engaged in a discussion about how the Council can be leveraged to define the Department’s strategic vision, strengthen the Department to better meet the increasingly dynamic and rapidly evolving threat landscape, and harness technology and innovation to modernize the programs it administers.
Last week, Secretary Mayorkas announced that he was reconstituting the Council to ensure it can help the Department better meet the challenges and seize the opportunities presented by an evolving homeland security landscape. The Council members sworn in yesterday join Co-Chair William Bratton, Co-Chair Jamie Gorelick, Vice Chair Karen Tandy, and Chair Emeritus Judge William Webster and bring extraordinary experience and unique perspectives to the Department’s wide array of vital missions.
The Council was originally established in 2003 under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, a federal law that governs the establishment and operation of committees that provide consensus advice to a federal government agency. The Secretary and the Council members will work with subject matter experts in and outside the Department to help develop strategies in the domestic and international domains. The members will provide independent advice and recommendations to the Secretary.
View the full list of Homeland Security Advisory Council members.
