DHS Launches First-Ever ‘Equity Action Plan’

The Biden administration announced a plan Friday to identify “seven focus areas to comprehensively advance equity” within the Department of Homeland Security.

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The focus areas include applying for naturalization, accessing humanitarian protection during immigration processing, bidding on DHS contracts, countering all forms of terrorism and targeted violence, filing complaints and seeking redress in DHS programs and activities, airport screening and accessing Trusted Traveler Programs.

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As a part of the plan, DHS vowed to “identify barriers that may impede access to naturalization among underserved communities” and remove those barriers to make the naturalization process easier. In addition, DHS said it will “expand engagement” with small businesses that are owned by or that support “members of underserved communities.”

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DHS said it will work to provide additional resources to “underserved communities” in an effort to “prevent individuals from radicalizing to violence and increase local capabilities” and push back against terrorism and targeted violence in different areas.

“Diverse communities are disproportionally impacted by domestic violent extremism and targeted violence,” DHS said in the announcement.

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