By: Alex Lee
Chad F. Wolf, acting secretary of Homeland security, took action after Donald Trump attacked New York city in his State of Union address. Chad F. Wolf joined his department around two decades ago after the 9/11 attack to help with protecting Americans. Yet, as his first act as new acting secretary of homeland security, he stated that New Yorkers were suspended from expedited air traveler programs, due to enforcement agencies.
However, Mr. Trump’s stance on the department is to have them a similar goals and focus on topics such as travel bans, illegal immigration, domestic protests, and protection of federal property. This caused questions to arise as many former members worried that they did not take into account the president using the department of Homeland Security into their own personal ambitions.
When the department was created, Congress believed that the single department was there to improve communication among state and local governments to prevent terrorist attacks. It required the employment of around 170,000 workers around 22 different agencies, including the Coast Guard and the Secret Service. It’s creation has been around the idea that federal employees should not be in a union.
Their worst fear was recognized when Barbara Boxer, former Democratic senator, states “Somehow, this has developed into the president’s private military”. She originally voted for the creation as she believed it “we would have a way to protect our citizens if there was a terror attack” He says how she regrets that decision now.
Mr Trump and his administration have argued for the point on sending federal troops to Portland, and their aggressive action. They state a certain federal statute that was created by the Department of Homeland security, where it allows agents to be deployed to protect federal property.
“I view it as a real wake-up call to analyze all of our laws” states Ms. Boxer, “they could be abused to the point that could really injure our own people”
The agency of Mr. Wolf have been a center of policies where caused travel mbans, focusing on Muslim countries. This prevented many migrants to get asylum, or safety of being deported, around the southwest border. He personally was involved in the separation of families of more than 2,800 migrated children.
The agency has turned into breaking borders, instead has turned into a new agency that creates new borders.