DHS Must Be Funded and Expanded to Project Border Security Outward
Source: Chad F. Wolf and Tom Plofchan. "Robust Homeland Security Must Be Funded, Not Shut Down." March 3, 2026. thefederalist.com
The Gist
The authors argue that Congress should keep funding the Department of Homeland Security instead of shutting it down because modern threats like terrorism and drug cartels work together and attack from multiple directions. They say it's better to stop these threats far from our borders using new technology and expanded programs, rather than waiting until they reach the border.
Conclusion
Congress should continue funding and expanding DHS capabilities rather than shutting down homeland security agencies, enabling the department to interdict threats hundreds of miles from U.S. borders
Premises
- Modern threats to homeland security (terrorism, cyberattacks, transnational crime) are interconnected and require coordinated response, not separate treatment
- Current adversaries including cartels and nation-state actors coordinate multi-front attacks using advanced technologies and exploit information gaps
- The Trump administration's National Security Strategy provides a holistic approach that treats the southern border as a final barrier rather than the first line of defense
- Historic investments from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act have given DHS vastly more resources to operate beyond U.S. borders
- Existing DHS programs like Container Security Initiative and U.S. Preclearance already provide value and should be strategically expanded
- Advanced AI and machine learning technologies used by DHS components can be enhanced to better identify and interdict threats through improved information sharing
- Most homeland security threats originate from abroad, making early identification and interdiction more effective than border-only enforcement
Assumptions
- Funding DHS is more effective than shutting it down for addressing security threats
- Projecting security capabilities abroad is legally and diplomatically feasible
- Technology solutions can effectively integrate foreign and domestic intelligence data
- Congressional opposition to DHS funding is primarily driven by partisan politics rather than legitimate policy concerns
- The current threat environment requires fundamentally different approaches than past security strategies