Definition

Homeland Security (noun) 1. A U.S. federal government department: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is a cabinet-level department of the U.S. federal government responsible for public security, broadly concerned with preventing terrorism, managing borders, administering immigration, and responding to disasters. 2. The concept of national domestic safety: The collective national effort, primarily led by the DHS, to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards.

Usage Examples

• The Secretary of Homeland Security testified before Congress about border policy.
• Cybersecurity is a critical component of modern homeland security.
• The agency's primary mission is homeland security.

Advanced Usage

• "Homeland security advisory": An official alert system used to communicate information about the risk of terrorist attacks to the public and government agencies.
• "Homeland security apparatus": Refers to the entire complex of agencies, laws, and resources dedicated to domestic security.

Variants and Related Words

• Homeland (noun): One's native country.
• Security (noun): The state of being free from danger or threat.
• DHS: A common initialism for the Department of Homeland Security.

Synonyms

• Domestic security
• National security (Note: "National security" often has a broader, more international scope, while "homeland security" focuses specifically on threats within and to the nation's borders.)
• Public safety (on a federal, national scale)

Related Phrases

• Homeland Security Act: The 2002 statute that created the Department of Homeland Security.
• Homeland security preparedness: The state of being ready to prevent or respond to domestic emergencies.

Noun

1. the federal department that administers all matters relating to homeland security