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Audits, Inspections, and Evaluations

Report Number Title Issue Date Fiscal Year
OIG-14-02 We audited the National Protection and Programs Directorate’s (NPPD) efforts in coordinating with cyber operations centers across the Federal Government. The recent increase in cyber attacks has triggered an expansion of security initiatives and collaboration between the Government and the private sector. The National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, which is the operational arm of the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications within NPPD, is responsible for integrating cyber threat information from the five Federal cybersecurity centers and collaborating with these centers in responding to cyber security incidents that may pose a threat to the Nation.

>DHS' Efforts to Coordinate the Activities of Federal Cyber Operations Centers 		2014
OIG-14-01-D We conducted this performance audit between April 2013 and August 2013, pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, and according to generally accepted government auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based upon our audit objective. We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based upon our audit objective. We conducted this audit by applying the statutes, regulations, and FEMA policies and guidelines in effect at the time of the disaster.

>FEMA’s Application of Rules and Federal Regulations in Determining Debris Removal Eligibility for Livingston Parish, Louisiana ( 		2014
OIG-13-124 FROM: John E. McCoy II

Assistant Inspector General for Audits

SUBJECT: Office of Inspector General Emergency Management Oversight Team Deployment Audits

Audit Report Numbers OIG-13-84, OIG-13-117, OIG-13-124, OIG-14-50-D, OIG-14-111-D, OIG-15-92-D, OIG-15-102-D, OIG-15-105-D, OIG-16-53-D, OIG-16-85-D, OIG-16-106-D, OIG-17-37-D

After completing an internal review of our audits related to multiple Emergency Management Oversight Team (EMOT) projects, we have decided to permanently remove the subject reports from our public website.

Our internal review found the subject reports may not have adequately answered objectives and, in some cases, may have lacked sufficient and appropriate evidence to support conclusions. Answering objectives with sufficient and appropriate evidence is required under Government Auditing Standards or Quality Standards for Inspection and Evaluation. In an abundance of caution, we believe it best to recall the reports and not re-issue them.

Going forward, our EMOTs will deploy during the response phase of a disaster to identify and alert the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its stakeholders of potential issues or risks if they do not follow FEMA and other Federal requirements. The EMOT’s reviews will not be conducted under Government Auditing Standards. The teams will continue to observe and identify potential risk areas that will be addressed by future traditional audits, if necessary.

A complete list of the projects removed from our website is attached. You should not place any reliance on these reports.

Please contact me at (202) 254-4100 if you have any questions.

>FEMA’s Initial Response in New York to Hurricane Sandy 		2013
DD-13-15 On August 29, 2005, the President declared Hurricane Katrina a major disaster for the State of Louisiana. At the time, Hurricane Katrina was the costliest and one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history. Hurricane Katrina’s high winds, flooding, and massive storm surge breached the New Orleans levee system leaving 80 percent of the city flooded. Three weeks later, Hurricane Rita, a major hurricane in its own right, struck southwestern Louisiana heightening the recovery challenges that disaster survivors, GOHSEP, and FEMA faced.

>State of Louisiana Needs a Strategy To Manage Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Public Assistance Grants More Effectively 		2013
DS-13-14 We interviewed FEMA, SCD,and DDC officials; reviewed judgmentally selected project costs (generally based on dollar value); and performed other procedures considered necessary to accomplish our objective. We did not assess the adequacy of the DDC’s internal controls applicable to grant activities because it was not necessary to accomplish our audit objective. However, we did evaluate fiscal controls, accounting procedures, and whether DDC had a system to account for expenditures on a project ‐ by ‐project basis, in order to determine compliance with governing criteria in effect at the time of the disaster.

>FEMA Should Recover $4.2 Million of Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to the Department of Design and Construction, Honolulu, Hawaii 		2013
OIG-13-123 The Office of Inspection in the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) conducts inspections, internal reviews, and covert testing to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of TSA's operations and administrative activities, and to identify vulnerabilities in TSA security systems. Additionally, the office carries out internal investigations of theTSA workforce to ensure its integrity. We conducted an audit of this office to determine whether it is efficient and effective in its efforts to enhance transportation security. The Office of Inspection did not operate efficiently. Specifically, the office did not use its staff and resources efficiently to conduct ost ‐ effective inspections, internal reviews, and covert testing. The office employed personnel classified as “criminal investigators,” even though their primary duties may not have been criminal investigations as required by Federal law and regulations.

>Transportation Security Administration Office of Inspection’s Efforts To Enhance Transportation Security 		2013
DD-13-14 The Cooperative, a non-profit rural electric cooperative, began operations in 1937 with 75 miles of power lines. It currently has three offices, serves eight counties in northeast Arkansas, maintains more than 4,700 miles of power lines, and provides electricity to more than 27,000 customers. The 2009 winter storm coated power lines and trees with ice. The added weight of the ice on power lines and trees damaged or destroyed roughly 8,000 utility poles throughout the Cooperative’s service area (see figure 1). These damaged or destroyed utility poles caused power outages to approximately 25,000 of the Cooperative’s customers.

>FEMA Should Recover $7.5 Million of the $43.2 Million Public Assistance Grant Awarded to Craighead Electric Cooperative Corporation, Arkansas 		2013
DS-13-13 Our audit objective was to determine whether the City accounted for and expended FEMA grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), a FEMA grantee, awarded the City $2,925,240 for costs resulting from severe storms, flooding, mudslides, and landslides from December 17,2005, through and including January 3, 2006. The award provided 75 percent FEMA funding for 7 large projects and 10 small projects. Our audit covered the period from December 17, 2005, to June 10, 2013. We audited $2,772,687, including six large projects totaling $2,599,005/ and two small projects totaling $173,682.

>The City of Pacifica, California, Generally Followed Regulations for Spending FEMA Public Assistance Funds 		2013
OIG-13-122 The objective of this review was to determine the extent to which the USCG Is maintaining Its historical level of effort on non-homeland security missions. To address our objective, we reviewed the resource hours the USCG used to perform its various missions. We also reviewed the USCG's performance measures and results for each non-homeland security and homeland security mission. We did not verify the accuracy of the USCG-provided data. According to the USCG's data, the gap between resource hours for homeland security versus non-homeland security missions has narrowed from approximately 14 percent in fiscal year 2007 to approximately 4 percent in fiscal year 2012 (52 percent of resource hours for homeland security missions versus 48 percent for non-homeland security missions).

>Annual Review of the United States Coast Guard’s Mission Performance (FY 2012) 		2013
DA-13-28 We audited Big Rivers Electric Corporation's {Big Rivers) eligibility to receive Public Assistance funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) {FIPS Code 000-UONLE-00). Big Rivers received a Public Assistance award totaling $1.8 million from the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management {StateL a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from a severe winter storm and flooding, which occurred January 26 to February 13, 2009. Because the Internal Revenue Service {IRS) revoked Big Rivers' tax-exempt status in 1983, we limited our audit objectives to determining whether Big Rivers {1) met FEMA's eligibility requirements to apply for and receive FEMA assistance under a Public Assistance grant and {2) met FEMA's legal responsibility criteria for disaster-related repairs. We did not audit the eligibility and appropriateness of costs that Big Rivers claimed under the FEMA award.

>Big Rivers Electric Corporation Meets FEMA's Eligibility Requirements for Participation in the Public Assistance Program 		2013
OIG-13-114 Following April 2012 media reports regarding the death of an undocumented immigrant while in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in May 2010, Senator Robert Menendez and 15 members of Congress requested that we review the use of force within CBP. We reviewed allegations of the use of excessive force by CBP employees and determined what reforms CBP has implemented. We also examined what effect adding more agents and officers to the workforce has had on training and professionalism. Allegations of employee misconduct that are entered into Department of Homeland Security (DHS) case management systems are assigned one of several case allegation types; however, there is no primary use of force designation. As a result, we were unable to identify the total number of excessive force allegations and investigations involving CBP employees.

>CBP Use of Force Training and Actions To Address Use of Force Incidents (Redacted) 		2013
DD-13-13 The objective of this report is to disclose additional information related to the data that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) relied on in its February 2008 decision to approve Comal County's (County) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) application. This report supplements our audit report, FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Funds Awarded to Comal County, Texas, DD-12-13, dated June 21, 2012, and provides additional information demonstrating that FEMA based its approval of the County's HMGP pplication on incomplete information. The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), a FEMA grantee, submitted the County's HMGP application to FEMA for funding following Hurricane Rita. In February 2008, FEMA approved the County's $7 million ($5,250,000 Federal share) initial HMGP request to construct a drainage improvement structure to mitigate future flood losses. In December 2010, FEMA approved an additional $9,302,516 for the project because of a design flaw in the County's original engineering plan, bringing the total award for his project to $16,302,516 ($12,226,887 Federal share).

>Comal County Understated Project Cost in Its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Project Application 		2013
DS-13-12 The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), a FEMA grantee, awarded the County $54.9 million for costs resulting from storms, flooding, debris flows, and mudslides during the period of December 27, 2004, through January 11, 2005.1 The award provided 75 percent FEMA funding for 143 large projects and 35 small projects. Our audit covered the period from December 27, 2004 to May 1, 2013.

>Los Angeles County, California, Did Not Properly Account for or Expend About $14,000 in FEMA Grant Funds 		2013
OIG-13-119 Within the Department of Homeland Security, under the Foreign Military Sales program, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) procures and provides defense-related articles and services to foreign governments, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) controls exports of articles related to Foreign Military Sales. In February 2013, the U.S. Government Accountability Office deemed Foreign Military Sales a high risk area for the Federal Government. We performed this audit to determine whether CBP and the USCG have adequate controls over the Foreign Military Sales export process.

>CBP’s and USCG’s Controls Over Exports Related to Foreign Military Sales 		2013
OIG-13-118 We reviewed the efforts of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to address the risk posed by trusted insiders. Our objective was to assess CBP’s progress toward protecting its information technology assets from threats posed by its employees, especially those with trusted or elevated access to sensitive information systems or data. CBP has made progress in addressing the risk of insider threats across the organization. Specifically, CBP established a working group and a committee focused on the risk. Further, CBP researches employee behavior, conducts pre-employment screening including polygraph assessments, and participates in border corruption task forces with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

>U.S. Customs and Border Protection Has Taken Steps To Address Insider Threat, but Challenges Remain (Redacted) 		2013
OIG-13-116 As of July 2013, ICE had 39 MOAs in 19 States, a reduction from the 64 MOAs in 24 States during fiscal year 2012. As of January 2013, all Task Force Officer Models have been discontinued. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) maintains day-to-day supervision of the 287(g) program. Within the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), the 287(g) Inspections Unit assesses the effectiveness of ICE field offices in supervising and supporting 287(g) programs, as well as ICE and LEA compliance with program policies and MOA requirements. The results of 287(g) inspection reviews provide ICE management with information on the administration of the program by local ICE offices and LEAs.

>The Performance of 287(g) Agreements FY 2013 Update 		2013
OIG-13-117 FROM: John E. McCoy II

Assistant Inspector General for Audits

SUBJECT: Office of Inspector General Emergency Management Oversight Team Deployment Audits

Audit Report Numbers OIG-13-84, OIG-13-117, OIG-13-124, OIG-14-50-D, OIG-14-111-D, OIG-15-92-D, OIG-15-102-D, OIG-15-105-D, OIG-16-53-D, OIG-16-85-D, OIG-16-106-D, OIG-17-37-D

After completing an internal review of our audits related to multiple Emergency Management Oversight Team (EMOT) projects, we have decided to permanently remove the subject reports from our public website.

Our internal review found the subject reports may not have adequately answered objectives and, in some cases, may have lacked sufficient and appropriate evidence to support conclusions. Answering objectives with sufficient and appropriate evidence is required under Government Auditing Standards or Quality Standards for Inspection and Evaluation. In an abundance of caution, we believe it best to recall the reports and not re-issue them.

Going forward, our EMOTs will deploy during the response phase of a disaster to identify and alert the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its stakeholders of potential issues or risks if they do not follow FEMA and other Federal requirements. The EMOT’s reviews will not be conducted under Government Auditing Standards. The teams will continue to observe and identify potential risk areas that will be addressed by future traditional audits, if necessary.

A complete list of the projects removed from our website is attached. You should not place any reliance on these reports.

Please contact me at (202) 254-4100 if you have any questions.

>FEMA's Initial Response in New Jersey to Hurricane Sandy 		2013
DA-13-27 The City received a Public Assistance award totaling $2.6 million from the Florida Department of Emergency Management (State), a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from Hurricane Frances, which occurred in September 2004. The award provided 100 percent FEMA funding for the first 72 hours of debris removal and emergency protective measures undertaken as a result of the disaster and 90 percent funding thereafter. The award also provided 90 percent funding for permanent repairs to buildings and other facilities. The award consisted of 7 large projects and 28 small projects.

>FEMA Should Recover $209,170 of Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to City of Daytona Beach, Florida – Hurricane Frances 		2013
DA-13-26 The City received a Public Assistance grant award of $3.0 million from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (State), FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from Hurricane Charley, which occurred in August 2004. The award provided 100 percent FEMA funding for the first 72 hours of debris removal and emergency protective measures undertaken as a result of the disaster and 90 percent funding thereafter. The award also provided 90 percent funding for permanent repairs to buildings and other facilities. The award consisted of 13 large projects and 26 small projects. We audited seven large projects and six small projects with awards totaling $1.9 million (see Exhibit, Schedule of Projects Audited and Questioned Costs). We limited our review of small projects to determining whether the City (1) completed the projects, and (2) received duplicate benefits for the projects.

>FEMA Should Recover $234,034 of Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to City of Daytona Beach, Florida – Hurricane Charley 		2013
DA-13-25 The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), a FEMA grantee, awarded DCNR $33.6 million for damages resulting from three federally-declared disasters: Tropical Depression Ivan (1557-DR-PA), which occurred September 17, 2004. Severe storms and flooding (1587-DR-PA), which occurred April 2, 2005. Severe storms, flooding, and mudslides (1649-DR-PA), which occurred June 23, 2006. The audit covered the period September 17, 2004, through June 19, 2013, and included a review of 25 large and 3 small projects totaling $27,690,926 or 82 percent of the total awards.

>Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Appropriately Expended $33.6 Million of FEMA Public Assistance Funds 		2013
OIG-13-115 We audited the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) efforts to implement Web 2.0 technology, also known as social media. The objective of our audit was to determine the effectiveness of DHS’ and its components’ use of Web 2.0 technologies to facilitate information sharing and enhance mission operations. The scope and methodology of this audit are discussed further in appendix A. Although DHS prohibits social media access to employees using a government-issued electronic device or computer unless a waiver or exception is granted, the Department has steadily increased its use of various social media sites over the past 5 years.

>DHS Uses Social Media To Enhance Information Sharing and Mission Operations, But Additional Oversight and Guidance Are Needed 		2013
OIG-13-113 The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operates and maintains 20 land mobile radio networks serving more than 120,000 frontline agents and officers. These users rely on radio systems for primary communications, officer safety, and mission success. DHS manages about 197,000 radio equipment items and 3,500 infrastructure sites, with a reported value of more than $1 billion. Many of these systems have exceeded their service-life and urgently need to be modernized to meet Federal and DHS mandates. DHS has estimated that full modernization of its existing end-of-life radio systems would require a $3.2 billion investment. The audit objective was to determine whether DHS is managing its radio program and related inventory in a cost-effective manner to prevent waste of taxpayer dollars.

>DHS Needs to Manage Its Radio Communication Program Better 		2013
OIG-13-112 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), as amended, appropriated $150 million for Public Transportation Security Assistance and Railroad Security Assistance. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administered these funds through its Transit Security Grant Program, which primarily funded operational packages for canine, mobile explosives screening, and antiterrorism teams, and capital projects for activities such as infrastructure protection. In 2009, FEMA awarded $9,560,064 to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for the creation of antiterrorism teams (ATT). Specifically, the grant funded 20 Metro Transit Police Department sworn officer positions, which were used to form 5 permanent ATTs. From August 1, 2009, through June 30, 2012, WMATA reported project costs totaling $7,590,766. As of June 30, 2012, WMATA had been reimbursed for $1,058,080 of these costs.

>Costs Incurred by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority under Transit Security Grant No. 2009-RA-R1-0102 		2013
OIG-13-110 We conducted an audit of the efforts undertaken by the Department’s Office of the Chief Information Officer to implement and maintain continuity of operations and disaster recovery and contingency planning capabilities. The objective of our audit was to determine the progress that the Office of the Chief Information Officer has made in carrying out its continuity planning roles and developing contingency planning strategies for routine backup of critical data, programs, documentation, and personnel for recovery after an interruption.

>DHS Needs To Strengthen Information Technology Continuity and Contingency Planning Capabilities (Redacted) 		2013
OIG-13-111 The National Infrastructure Protection Plan stipulates that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) coordinate preparedness activities among ransportation sector partners to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from all hazards that could affect U.S. transportation systems. TSA, with the collaboration and coordination of other Federal agencies and the surface transportation industry, created the Surface Transportation Research and development Working Group. The group’s mission is to gather and consolidate sector-directed research and development efforts from all transportation security partners. It identifies security vulnerabilities—capability gaps—and refers them to DHS Science & Technology Directorate (S&T) for further review and possible initiation of research and development projects.

>Research and Development Efforts to Secure Rail Transit Systems 		2013
DD-13-12 The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP), a FEMA grantee, awarded the Commission $12.3 million for damages esulting from Hurricane Katrina that occurred on August 29, 2005. The award provided 100 percent funding for 37 large and 44 small projects.1 The audit covered the period August 29, 2005, through May 1, 2012, the cutoff date of our audit, and included a review of 241arge and 18 small projects totaling $10.3 million, or 83.7 percent of the total award, and a limited review of labor cost claims for three additional projects (see Exhibit, Schedule of Projects Audited and Questioned Costs).2 As of our cutoff date, the Commission had claimed $2.2 million, but had not completed all projects.

>FEMA Should Recover $1.7 Million of Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to Audubon Commission, New Orleans, Louisiana 		2013
OIG-13-108 We evaluated the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) enterprise-wide security program for Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information intelligence systems. Pursuant to the Federal Information Security Management Act, we reviewed the Department’s security program including its policies, procedures, and system security controls for enterprise-wide intelligence systems. In doing so, we assessed the Department’s continuous monitoring, configuration management, identity and access management, incident response and reporting, risk management, security training, plans of actions and milestones, contingency planning, and security capital planning. As of May 2012, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) authorizing official assumed oversight for USCG's shore-side intelligence systems from Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A). USCG is migrating its Coast Guard Intelligence Support System to a multi-authorizing official structure including DHS, USCG, and Defense Intelligence Agency.

>Review of DHS' Information Security Program for Intelligence Systems for Fiscal Year 2013 		2013
OIG-13-109 The report contains seven recommendations aimed at improving the State of Nebraska’s management of State Homeland Security Program grants. Your office concurred with six recommendations. Based on information provided in your response to the draft report, we consider recommendations #1, #2, #4 through #7 open and resolved, and recommendation #3 closed. Once your office has fully implemented the open recommendations, please submit a formal closeout request to us within 30 days so that we may close the recommendations. The request should be accompanied by evidence of completion of agreed-upon corrective actions and of the disposition of any monetary amounts.

>Nebraska's Management of State Homeland Security Grant Program Awards for Fiscal Years 2009 Through 2011 		2013
DD-13-11 Our audit objective was to determine whether Tulane accounted for and expended Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP), FEMA grantee, awarded Tulane the gross amount of $291.9 million for damages resulting lrom Hurricane Katrina, which occurred on August 29, 2005. As shown in table 1, Tulane's insurance proceeds as of June 2011 and a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan reduced the gross amount to a net aWird of $ 153.1 million.

>FEMA Should Recover $46.2 Million of Improper Contracting Costs from Federal Funds Awarded to the Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund, New Orleans, Louisiana 		2013
OIG-13-107 Senator Charles Grassley requested that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General examine the potential for fraud or abuse in the L-1 intracompany transferee visa program. The L-1 visa program facilitates the temporary transfer of foreign nationals with management, professional, and specialist skills to the United States. Through domestic and international fieldwork, we observed DHS personnel and Department of State consular officials process L-1 petitions and visas. We also interviewed 71 managers and staff in DHS and the Department of State. Although U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations and headquarters memorandums provide guidance regarding the definition of specialized knowledge, they are insufficient to ensure consistent application of L-1 visa program requirements in processing visas and petitions.

>Implementation of L-1 Visa Regulations 		2013
OIG-13-106 The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) creates, receives, handles, and stores classified information as part of its homeland security, emergency response, and continuity missions. As creators and users of classified information, DHS is responsible for both implementing national policies and establishing epartmental policies, to ensure that such information is adequately safeguarded when necessary and appropriately shared whenever possible. With proper classification of intelligence products, DHS can share more information with State, local, and tribal entities, as well as the private sector. The Reducing Over-Classification Act of October 2010 (Public Law 111-258) requires the DHS Secretary to develop a strategy to prevent the over-classification and promote the sharing of homeland security and other information. This is the first of two reviews we are mandated to conduct under this act.

>Reducing Over-classification of DHS’ National Security Information 		2013
OIG-13-105 In April 2012, in response to its growing caseload and limited resources, the Watchlisting Cell proposed to decentralize its watchlist nomination process by providing watchlist analyst training and certification to analysts in DHS operational components, and then delegating to the certified watchlist analysts the authority to submit terrorist nominations. We reviewed the Watchlisting Cell to determine whether (1) it is timely, effective, and efficient in submitting DHS nominations; (2) the information provided to external partners is complete, accurate, and timely; (3) establishing the Watchlisting Cell has had an effect on the DHS component nomination process; and (4) the Watchlisting Cell has developed and communicated effective policies and procedures for coordinating nomination submissions within DHS. We also reviewed whether the Watchlisting Cell has developed an effective process for providing nominator certification training, quality assurance, and the oversight necessary for decentralization, and whether it has developed an effective methodology for planning and coordinating its resources.

>DHS’ Watchlisting Cell’s Efforts To Coordinate Departmental Nominations (Redacted) 		2013
OIG-13-103 In June 2012, Egyptian Hani Nour Eldin visited the United States as a member of an Egyptian parliamentary delegation to meet with U.S. Government officials and business leaders. During this visit, Mr. Eldin raised with White House officials the possibility of transferring Omar Abdel Rahman, a convicted terrorist, from U.S. custody to Egyptian custody. In June 2012, former Chairman Peter T. King, of the House Committee on Homeland Security, raised concerns that Mr. Eldin, a self-proclaimed member of Gama’a al-Islamiyya (the Islamic Group), which the Department of State has designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization since 1997, was issued a visa and granted admission into the United States. Former Chairman King requested that we review DHS admissibility processes for members of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. He also asked that we establish whether DHS has a potential role or has been consulted about transferring convicted terrorist Omar Abdel Rahman from U.S. custody to Egyptian custody, for “humanitarian and health reasons.”

>DHS’ Efforts To Screen Members of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (Redacted) 		2013
DS-13-11 The California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMAl, a FEMA grantee, awarded the County $54.9 million for costs resulting from storms, flooding, debriS flows, and mudslides during the period of December 27, 2004, through January 11, 2005.' The award provided 75 percent FEMA funding for 143 large projects and 35 small projects.' Our audit covered the period from December 27, 2004, to May 1, 2013. Thi~ report presents findings related to five projects we comprehensively audited, totaling $10.4 million in awarded project funding for debris-related COSH, for which the County has requested $6 million in reimbursements for costs incurred.

>Los Angeles County, California, Did Not Properly Account For and Expend $3.9 Million in FEMA Grant Funds for Debris-Related Costs 		2013
OIG-13-104 Our evaluation focused on how these components had implemented computer security technical, management, and operational controls at the airport and nearby locations. We performed onsite inspections of the areas where these assets were located, interviewed departmental staff, and conducted technical tests of internal controls. We also reviewed applicable policies, procedures, and other relevant documentation. The information technology security controls implemented at these sites have deficiencies that, if exploited, could result in the loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the components’ respective information technology systems. For example, a technical control includes regularly scanning servers for vulnerabilities. However, not all departmental servers were being scanned for vulnerabilities.

>Technical Security Evaluation of DHS Activities at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport 		2013
DA-13-24 Our audit objective was to determine whether the County accounted for and expended Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The County received a Public Assistance grant award totaling $47.9 million from the florida Division of Emergency Management (State), a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from Hurricane Jeanne, which occurred in September 2004. The award provided 100 percent FEMA funding for the first 72 hours of emergency protective measures and debris removal activities, and 90 percent funding thereafter for these two activities. The award also provided 90 percent FEMA funding for permanent repairs to buildings, roads, and recreational facilities. The award consisted of 63 large projects and 173 small projects.

>FEMA Should Recover $951,221 of Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to Palm Beach County, Florida – Hurricane Jeanne 		2013
DA-13-23 Our audit objective was to determine whether the County accounted for and expended Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The County received a Public Assistance grant award totaling $31.7 million from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (State), a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from Hurricane Wilma, which occurred in October 2005. The award provided 100 percent FEMA funding for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and permanent repairs to buildings and recreational facilities. The award consisted of 85 large projects and 223 small projects.

>FEMA Should Recover $4.9 Million of Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to Palm Beach County, Florida – Hurricane Wilma 		2013
DA-13-22 Our audit objective was to determine whether the County accounted for and expended Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The County received a Public Assistance grant award totaling $40.1 million from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (State), a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from Hurricane Frances, which occurred in September 2004. The award provided 100 percent FEMA funding for the first 72 hours of emergency protective measures and debris removal activities, and 90 percent funding thereafter for these two activities. The award also provided 90 percent FEMA funding for permanent repairs to buildings, roads, and recreational facilities. The award consisted of 88 large projects and 222 small projects.

>FEMA Should Recover $1.6 Million of Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to Palm Beach County, Florida – Hurricane Frances 		2013
DA-13-21 Our audit objective was to determine whether the County accounted for and expended Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The County received a Public Assistance grant award totaling $5.1 million from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (State), a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from Tropical Storm Fay, which occurred in August 2008. The award provided 75 percent FEMA funding for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and permanent repairs to buildings, roads, and recreational facilities. The award consisted of 4 large projects and 13 small projects.

>Palm Beach County, Florida, Appropriately Expended $4.8 Million of FEMA Public Assistance Funds Awarded for Beach Renourishment Activities Under Tropical Storm Fay 		2013
OIG-13-102 In 2012, FEMA announced that it would no longer use park models as a housing option, and instead would use only manufactured housing certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Unless FEMA takes actions to ensure that it maintains the ability to use temporary housing units similar in size to the park model, this decision will increase program costs by tens of millions of dollars annually, and may hinder FEMA’s ability to provide shelter to disaster survivors quickly. In reacting to the decision, FEMA field staff expressed concerns to us about their ability to house disaster survivors quickly and cost effectively. Further, FEMA officials said that many homeowners prefer units that can fit on their home sites, because it allows them to remain on their own property near their places of employment and schools while they rebuild their homes.

>Unless Modified, FEMA’s Temporary Housing Plans Will Increase Costs by an Estimated $76 Million Annually 		2013
OIG-13-101 We conducted a follow-up audit to determine TSA’s progress in establishing key information technology management capabilities to support mission needs. Appendix A describes the audit’s scope and methodology. The TSA Chief Information Officer has established key information technology management capabilities to support TSA’s mission. Specifically, the Chief Information Officer updated the information technology strategic plan, implemented a systems engineering life cycle process to manage information technology programs, implemented information technology acquisition review processes, and developed an enterprise architecture. Not all information technology procurements, however, have gone through the information technology acquisition review process because they were not categorized as information technology procurements. As a result, there is little assurance that all information technology investments are aligned with the Chief Information Officer’s strategy or TSA’s future information technology mission needs.

>Transportation Security Administration Information Technology Management Progress and Challenges 		2013
OIG-13-100 The Administrator was authorized to waive a debt if the excessive payment was based on FEMA error; there was no fault by the debtor; collection of the debt was against equity and good conscience; and the debt did not involve fraud, a false claim, or misrepresentation by the debtor or others with an interest in the claim. FEMA was authorized to grant a waiver to eligible debtors with an adjusted gross income less than or equal to $90,000 and, subject to certain conditions, only a partial waiver to those with an adjusted gross income greater than $90,000. DARFA directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General to report on the cost‐effectiveness of FEMA’s efforts to recoup improper payments. This is the last in a series of six reports issued every 3 months through June 2013.

>FEMA’s Efforts To Recoup Improper Payments in Accordance With the Disaster Assistance Recoupment Fairness Act of 2011 (6) 		2013
OIG-13-99 As of January 2013, 16 airports were participating in the Screening Partnership Program. Under the program, an airport operator may apply to use a private company to screen passengers and baggage rather than use Federal Government screening personnel. TSA reviews and approves applications to participate, awards contracts to private screening companies, and oversees the private screening workforce. We performed this audit to determine whether TSA administered the Screening Partnership Program in accordance with Federal regulations.

>Transportation Security Administration’s Screening Partnership Program 		2013
DA-13-20 Our audit objective was to determine whether Kenergy accounted for and expended Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. Kenergy received a Public Assistance award totaling $31.2 million from the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management (State), a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from a severe winter storm, which occurred in January 2009. The award provided 75 percent FEMA funding for debris removal activities, emergency protective measures, and permanent repairs to the electrical distribution system. The award consisted of three large projects and one small project.

>FEMA Should Recover $3.8 Million of Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to Kenergy Corporation, Henderson, Kentucky 		2013
OIG-13-98 The Homeland Security Information Network is a secure, unclassified Internet portal that enables information sharing and collaboration across the homeland security enterprise. In 2006 and 2008, we reported on challenges that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) faced to define the system’s role, meet user requirements, provide user support, and increase system use. We conducted a followup audit of this system to determine the progress made and the system’s effectiveness in supporting information sharing among select stakeholders.

>Homeland Security Information Network Improvements and Challenges 		2013
OIG-13-97 We performed this audit to determine whether USCIS recorded information about adjudicated family-based petitions and applications suspected of being fraudulent according to agency policy requirements and in a manner that deterred immigration fraud. U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents who petition to sponsor a qualifying family member, including a spouse, must file a PetitionfforfAlienfRelative (Form I-130) with USCIS.1 USCIS officers adjudicate I-130 petitions at field offices or service centers. Through the I-130 adjudication process, USCIS must validate that the petitioner is a U.S.citizen or lawful permanent resident.

>U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Tracking and Monitoring of Potentially Fraudulent Petitions and Applications for Family-Based Immigration Benefits 		2013
OIG-13-96 According to the Department, it participated in 1,094 conferences in fiscal year 2012, with expenditures totaling approximately $21.6 million. We conducted this audit in response to a mandate from the House Appropriations Committee, which directed the Office of Inspector General to report, no later than 30 days after the date of enactment of the DHS Fiscal Year 2013 Appropriations Bill, whether DHS has effective procedures in place to ensure compliance with all applicable Federal laws and regulations on conferences. The Fiscal Year 2013 Appropriations Bill was enacted on March 26, 2013.

>DHS' Policies and Procedures Over Conferences 		2013
DS-13-10 Our audit objective Is to determine whether the County accounted for and expended FEMA PA grant funds according to federal regulation and FEMA guide lines. The california Emergency Managemenl Agency (Cal EMA), a FEMA grantee, awarded t he County $54.9 million for costs resulting from storms, flooding. debris flows, and mudslides during the period of Decemher 27, 2004, through January 11, 2005. The award provided 75 percent FEMA funding for 143 large projects and 3S small projects. Our audit covered the period from December 27, 2004, to January 29, 2013. We are in the process of auditing a total of 108 large projects, with total awarded funding of $44.S million. We are comprehensively auditing 12 of those projects-with total awarded funding of $17.0 million- and auditing 96 projects - with total awarded funding of $27.8 miliion- exclusively for funds that can be deobligated and put to better use.

>Unneeded Funding and Management Challenges Associated with the FEMA Grant Awarded to Los Angeles County, California: Third Interim Report 		2013
DA-13-19 Our Audit objective was to determine whether the City accounted for and expended Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The City received Public Assistance grant awards totaling $5.6M from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (State), a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne, which occurred in September 2004. The awards provided 100 percent FEMA funding for the first 72 hours of emergency protective measures and debris removal activities and 90 percent funding thereafter for those two activities.

>FEMA Should Recover $401,046 of Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to the City of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida — Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne 		2013
DA-13-18 Our audit objective was to determine whether the Utility accounted for and expended Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The Utility received a Public Assistance award of $17.1 million from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (State), a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from Hurricane Charley, which occurred in August 2004. The award provided 90 percent FEMA unding for debris removal activities, emergency protective measures, repair oft he electric transmission and distribution system, repair/replacement of buildings and equipment, and other disaster related activities. The award consisted of 231arge projects and 23 small projects.

>FEMA Should Recover $4.1 Million of Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to Orlando Utilities Commission — Hurricane Charley ( 		2013

*NDAA, Pub. L. 117-263, section 5274 Response Received. View responses

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