Political Science

Introduction 
The definition of homeland security according to the government of the United States is the domestic effort, contrary to the foreign war on terrorism, to safeguard Americans from terrorists. These efforts have also come to include the general preparedness under the all hazards doctrine, which concentrates on general endeavors that help prepare for both natural calamities, such as accidental chemical spills and hurricanes as well as terrorists (White, 2008). Homeland security is composed of various entities which include The United States National Guard, The United States Coast Guard, US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Customs and Border Protection, United States Secret Service, Civil Air Patrol, and Transportation Security Administration. Border protection is a very critical matter of national security (US Department of Homeland security, 2010).
Complex border security programs existed even before the 911 incident, but after the attacks the control of the nations land borders became a serious matter of national security in the US. Border protection was realized as a very beneficial role not only to the government, but also to the people as it restricts the entry of dangerous people as well as goods in to the country. Border protection is viewed as an accurate security of the nations perimeter. It does not merely mean the erection of a fence around the nation. Rather, it is a set of policies that utilizes the fact that people as well as goods are scrutinized easily after their arrival at checkpoints. Border protection is very important as it stops illegal flooding of immigrants in to the country. Restriction of illegal flooding helps the immigration department in the screening for drug dealers, assassins, rapists and terrorists (Bullock, Haddow, and Coppola, 2006).

Problem Statement
The security measures in the US have always been very tight. However, there have been various changes that have been witnessed in the system especially after the September 11th terrorists attacks. This term paper will look at how the attacks changed the security system in the US and what are the implications of the move.

Homeland Security
Prior to the September 11 attacks, as stated by Lefebre (2006), the US military focused on warfare overseas. The participation of the military in domestic circles was mainly concerned with response to natural calamities. Increased cases of terrorism made the military to work more closely with the state, the federal, and the local agencies in their homeland security activities. Border protection is a vital pillar of the department of homeland security. The main mandate of homeland security is to keep out of the country materials and people who are regarded as security threats. The functions of homeland security are therefore more of preventive in nature than remedial. The various functions of the department of homeland security include the analysis and sharing of information. The department of homeland security gathers information concerning the vulnerability of the nation to any attack. This information is then shared with the American public and other federal agencies. The other mandate of the department of homeland security is prevention of attack upon analysis of the level of threat of a certain situation. As stated by Anon (n.d.), Homeland security maintains border security, regulates immigration, and maintains security of the infrastructure. It is also the mandate of homeland security to ensure that the country is prepared effectively in case of a national calamity or a terrorist attack. If any of these events take place the department provides a rapid and well coordinated response and rescue efforts.

Literature Review
According to OHanlon, (2010), border movements allow spotlighting to take place. Border patrols as well as some activities of the department of defense and the Coast Guard functions in a manner close to physical safeguard of borders. Spotlighting is even more critical, its failure led to the 911 incident. The inability of the nation to know the exact type of goods and people getting into and out of the country has much more to do with the spotlighting function rather than with the ineffectiveness of the national walls. If border protection was carried out effectively it could offer benefits that are beyond the scope of homeland security. Digitalized computers for example, could allow more reliable movements of people and materials in and out of the country. Better knowledge of where ships as well as goods on transit are could be easily provided. This would greatly enhance prevention as well as response to other risks such as piracy and accidents involving ships that can severely affect trade and travel. The main objective of homeland security therefore should be provision of tighter border security rather than turning borders into checkpoints. Instead of its efforts competing with the economy, homeland security should complement economic competitiveness.

The geographic position of the United States makes it easy for monitoring of borders as well as using them as a means of channeling materials and routing people through areas where spotlighting is achievable. However, there are two long land borders that are too difficult to protect the northern border and the southern border. However, strict border protection measures have been put in place thereby limiting the incursion of soldiers from other nations especially Mexico. Foreign soldiers who are often used by drug cartels threaten the US patrol agents at gun point. This insurgence of foreign soldiers is a matter of national security and a great deal of efforts has been put in place to deal with it (Payan, 2006). These borders are not the only main challenges that face homeland security. Aviation security is also a major challenge that homeland security is faced with. Getha-Taylor (2008), asserts that there is no single technique that can be employed to keep illicit people and materials out of the country. There also exists no analytical technique for use to evaluate the level of monitoring that would be most effective for national security.

The security efforts that were established after the 911 incident have been headed in the right course, but capacity for monitoring borders should be stepped up. Monitoring of people is one of the main security efforts that homeland security has put up. Persons disguising their true identities, especially those on terror watch lists, cannot gain access to the country. If an individual is on the terror watch list and is trying to fly from abroad, it is very unlikely that heshe will get through under hisher name. Such a person also cannot get through under another persons name if hisher fingerprints are on the file. Homelands security therefore, plays a major role in preventing illegal immigrants, illegal weapons, smugglers, drug dealers and other illegal imports from entering the United States. Dangerous people as well as smuggled weapons negatively affect the security of the nation (White, 2008).

Bose, (2009) states that Border protection has three main aims preventing terrorism, strengthening the national security, and protecting the citizens as well as the nation at large. Border protection prevents terrorism by restricting the entry of terrorists and weapons of mass destruction to the country. It strengthens the national security by preventing illegal entry of persons as well as materials in to the country. Border protection plays a major role in developing a safer America through scrutinizing the entry of all people and goods.  It maintains both the security of the northern as well as the southern borders. It also plays major role in coordinating and making the efforts of various agencies as well as departments that are responsible for assuring the safety of the nation and the citizens more efficient.

Application Responses
In conjunction with prevention of entry of dangerous people and goods in to the country the law enforcement agencies plays a very crucial role in apprehending individuals who try to enter in to the country illegally. Illegal immigrants pose a very big threat not only to the people, but also to the agriculture and the business sector. Illegal immigrants may introduce harmful pests and diseases to the nation thereby making the state to incur a very heavy loss in its fight against such pests and diseases. Diseases brought by illegal immigrants would therefore adversely affect the economic status of the nation. Dangerous people may also come in to the country with intent of stealing. These people can steal anything ranging from intellectual to personal property (Bullock, Haddow, and Coppola, 2006).
Lack of border protection programs would pose a very big security threat to the 12.5 million tons of cargo as well as thousands of people who travel around the United States through air. It would also pose as threat to those who are transported by ships. Each and every passenger goes through a very extensive scrutiny before heshe can take a flight. This process insures the security of the public. This tedious process in spite of all its inconveniences makes one feel that heshe is taking part in assisting the government in its fundamental role of preserving the security of the nation. The border patrol unit is charged with the responsibility of ensuring compliance of federal laws at the border. The border patrol agents conduct inspection, examination, search of vehicles, individuals, as well as goods to determine whether they are being introduced in to the United States contrary to the rule of law (Bullock, Haddow, and Coppola, 2006).

Another useful technique that has been taken on by the homeland security is the students and exchange visitor information system. This system plays a major role in tracking foreigners in the country on student visas. People who overstay visas can be easily identified and located. Foreign travel is also strictly controlled by the use of biometric indicators. Fingerprints of visa applicants are compared to those in the department of homeland security. To minimize chances of people who plan terror attacks finding a legal way into the country and overstay their visas, the government should record real time from the US. This lightens the governments task of identifying and following those who overstay. As proposed by the 911 commission, those who overstay their visas could be easily identified and pursued. The visa waiver program is a significant loophole in the United States border security due to the high cases of stolen or forged visas around the globe. It is also very difficult to interview people thoroughly upon entry under visa waiver program (Sauter, and Carafano, 2005).

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have rules regulating the importation of animals, thereby restricting entry of potentially diseased animals and animal products in the US. Trade with countries that are not affected by diseases such as foot and mouth disease also helps keep the United States free from diseases. Active surveillance and passive reporting by industries help APHIS swiftly identify a disease upon introduction. In case an outbreak of a certain disease for example, foot and mouth disease, APHIS concentrates on three major areas restraint, eradication and carcass disposal. Vaccination is used to prevent the spread of diseases. There are four major aspects of infectious diseases preparedness that the US homeland security focuses on. These include implementation of a national response plan, prediction of the movement of the disease in order to contain it, outlining the economic effects of the disease, and preventing the use of the disease as an agro-terrorism. Everything possible is done by APHIS to counteract potential agro-terrorism threats in order to maintain ample supply of safe food, protect international markets, and avoid high costs incurred during the process of stamping out a disease. Although APHIS has put extensive measures to prevent spread of diseases, the United States is still under threat of bioterrorism (Simmins 2009).

Thousands of scenarios are evaluated day after day by the department of homeland security and law enforcement agencies. Terrorist usually infect themselves with diseases which have very long incubation periods, but remains infectious before the host can become ill. APHIS mainly deals with animal and plant health and not criminal investigation, though it assists in investigations. Meagher (2005), states that travel and migration increases the risk of spreading infectious diseases. Migration of those who are incubating infectious diseases is a major threat to national security. Tourism may also lead to spread of diseases especially when people come into contact with animals harboring infectious diseases. Travels and migrations also lead to development of new strains of diseases.  Movement of people as well as goods affects the spread of disease and their level of impact. In case a new infectious disease appears, travel and migrations spreads it further.

Conclusion
Homeland security composes of all the domestic efforts that the government of the United States has put in place contrary to the overseas war on terrorism in order to safeguard Americans from terrorism. The main mandate of homeland security is to keep out of the country materials and people who are regarded as security threats. Homeland security primarily deals with border protection the vital pillar of national security. The department of homeland security was established as a result of increased cases of terrorism directed to the citizens of the United States. The activities of homeland security have been headed in the right course after the 911 incident. Homeland security has also played a major role in preventing illegal immigrants, illegal weapons, smugglers, drug dealers and other illegal imports from entering the United States. Its activities have also greatly reduced the chances of introduction of infectious disease in the country.