The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in partnership with the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defence, launched two new resources to support our nation’s noncitizen service members, veterans, and their families. Through its Immigrant Military Members and Veterans Initiative (IMMVI), DHS will host a one-stop online centre to consolidate relevant federal resources. As part of the resource centre, DHS has also created a portal for veterans who need assistance in applying to return to the United States or accessing VA benefits to which they may be entitled.
These new resources are just the first step to help support noncitizen service members and their families who have made tremendous sacrifices for the U.S. The government is committed to identifying previously removed veterans to ensure they can obtain VA benefits, access COVID-19 vaccines, and return to the United States as appropriate.
Veterans qualify for VA benefits based on their service to our country and never on their immigration status. We are proud to work with our partners at DHS and DoD to honour the service of immigrant and noncitizen Veterans by ensuring that they have access to information about the care and services available to them.
– Professor Denis McDonough, Veterans Affairs Secretary
The new one-stop resource centre will consolidate resources and forms from DHS, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Department of Defense (DoD) and other agencies so noncitizen service members, veterans and their families can easily find any needed forms and resources.
The new portal on the DHS website will provide previously removed veterans a simple and fast way to get in touch with the Department for assistance with any questions or issues they may have as they seek assistance in returning to the United States or accessing their VA benefits.
To date, the initiative has helped dozens of veterans access the U.S. immigration system and their VA benefits, and several individuals have been able to return to the U.S. DHS offices and agencies continue to actively review policies for individuals with military association to determine how to best meet the commitments made in this initiative.
DHS is making it easier to use departmental data to improve the quality of services to the American people and develop products that promote innovation. DHS aims to:
- Enable the citizens of America to better leverage government data to spur innovation across the nation and improve the quality of services for the American people.
- Ensure seizing the opportunity to procure and manage smart devices, applications and data safely, securely and efficiently.
- Unlock the power of data and be ready to deliver and receive digital information and services anytime, anywhere and on any device.
The technology landscape is changing very rapidly. The introduction of Cloud Computing, Agile Development and Mobility has provided new and innovative ways to deliver value in Information Technology within the Federal Government. DHS is committed to enabling better utilisation of departmental data to improve the quality of services to the American people. DHS will develop services that leverage the unique capabilities of mobile computing and promote innovation while maintaining enhanced security.
As reported by OpenGov Asia, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), together with federal partners, has launched a new website to combat the threat of ransomware. StopRansomware.gov establishes a one-stop hub for ransomware resources for individuals, businesses, and other organisations. The new website is a collaborative effort across the federal government and the first joint website created to help private and public organisations mitigate their ransomware risk.
The website is the first central hub consolidating ransomware resources from all federal government agencies. Prior to today, individuals and organisations had to visit a variety of websites to find guidance, latest alerts, updates, and resources, increasing the likelihood of missing important information. The website integrates federal ransomware resources into a single platform that includes clear guidance on how to report attacks, and the latest ransomware-related alerts and threats from all participating agencies.
