美国国家公共电台 NPR--After 20 years, examining the mixed legacy of the Department of Homeland Security

After 20 years, examining the mixed legacy¹ of the Department of Homeland Security

Transcript²

Two decades after Congress authorized³ the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, there's growing concern about whether DHS is doing enough to combat domestic violent extremism.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

This week marks two decades since Congress established the Department of Homeland Security. The agency was created after the 9/11 attacks to protect the country against further acts of foreign terrorism. But now there are growing questions about whether DHS is keeping up with evolving threats to the homeland. NPR's domestic extremism correspondent, Odette Yousef, joins us now.

Good morning, Odette.

ODETTE YOUSEF, BYLINE⁴: Good morning, Rachel.

MARTIN: Twenty years - it's a long time. Can you give us some context about how the threat, the terrorism threat that DHS has been charged to address - how that threat has changed over that time?

YOUSEF: Well, Rachel, when DHS was formed, terrorism was really framed as a problem originating overseas, you know, particularly from hierarchical networked groups like al-Qaida and ISIS. Those threats continue today, but there have been huge shifts in the threat landscape, namely an elevated threat now from domestic actors, specifically, you know, violent white supremacists and antigovernment and militia-aligned extremists. These often act alone. They can easily access weapons. And today's DHS is coming under fire for not doing all that it can to counter that new iteration of the threat.

MARTIN: So say more about the nuances of that criticism.

YOUSEF: Well, at a recent congressional hearing with the heads of DHS, FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center, Michigan Senator Gary Peters hit on a theme that he's been sounding many times over the last three years.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

GARY PETERS: DHS and FBI have failed to effectively measure and share comprehensive data on the threat posed by violent domestic extremist and, specifically, white supremacist and antigovernment violence.

YOUSEF: And, Rachel, there has been troubling evidence that indicates DHS has been overly fearful, for example, or simply unskilled when it comes to using some tools that are at its disposal. You know, for example, The Washington Post reported that DHS has slowed down research relying on publicly accessible information about domestic terrorism, perhaps as an overcorrection to charges it faced in the 9/11 years of overreach.

Similarly, government reports have detailed⁵ some embarrassing failures leading up to the January 6 attack, like relying on inexperienced staff to analyze⁶ open-source information about the threats that were planned for that day. And from Republicans, the criticism has been different. They have been entirely⁷ focused on DHS's handling of the migration⁸ surge at the southern border. And even though there's no evidence that anyone who poses a threat to national security has crossed into the U.S., DHS has been overwhelmed by those numbers.

MARTIN: And I can't help but fixate on something you just said a moment ago about the lack of information sharing. This was totally what happened after 9/11 - right? - I mean, are these silos of information, and this was to blame, in part, for why intelligence agencies didn't catch 9/11 to begin with. I mean, what does DHS have to say about all these critiques?

YOUSEF: Well, DHS hasn't responded yet to questions from NPR. Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has said that his department could use more funding from Congress to counter this threat. You know, I think, realistically - with Republicans set to take control of Congress in January, Rachel, I think DHS is going to face even greater challenges to call out and confront the domestic terrorism threat because Republicans really are focused on the border.

But there is urgency in addressing this issue. You know, for example, look at the tragic⁹ killings¹⁰ at an LGBTQ nightclub over the weekend in Colorado Springs. The exact cause is still being investigated, but the attack highlights real fears about how hateful rhetoric¹¹ and a climate of political violence...

MARTIN: Yeah.

YOUSEF: ...Are evolving and what they could lead to.

MARTIN: NPR's Odette Yousef.

1 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

6 analyze   

vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)

参考例句：

• We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
• The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。

7 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

8 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

9 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

10 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

11 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。