- GAO has flagged three priority areas for DHS action
- DHS carries 507 open recommendations, 39 of them priority
- The 2026 Homeland Security Summit will examine AI, cyber defense and more
The Government Accountability Office has recommended that the Department of Homeland Security improve disaster preparedness and response, enhance IT and cybersecurity, and strengthen immigration and border security policies and data.
As DHS works to modernize operations and address evolving security challenges, government and industry leaders will gather at the 2026 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 12 to examine artificial intelligence, cyber defense and operational capabilities at major DHS agencies. Sign up now to join the discussion.
What Are GAO’s Recommendations to DHS?
In a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, GAO called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to address fragmentation across its disaster recovery programs by consolidating or simplifying overlapping requirements. The congressional watchdog pointed to ongoing complaints from state and local officials, who have described difficulty navigating a patchwork of federal recovery programs, each with its own rules, timelines and limited information-sharing between agencies.
On the cybersecurity front, GAO flagged the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation program, first launched in 2012, as an initiative that several agencies have not fully adopted, citing insufficient guidance from the agency. GAO recommended that CISA issue clearer direction to help agencies roll out network security and data protection tools, along with guidance on how agencies should work together to reduce cyber risks facing operational technology systems.
On immigration and border security, GAO said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s public detention figures fall short of the actual count by tens of thousands of individuals. The watchdog also reported that U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s rollout plans for non-intrusive inspection equipment at the southwest border leave out nine vehicle crossings responsible for close to 40 percent of passenger vehicle traffic in that region. GAO recommended that ICE correct its detention reporting and that CBP revise its equipment deployment plans.
How Many Priority Recommendations Has GAO Identified for DHS?
In May 2025, GAO flagged 39 priority recommendations for the department. Since then, DHS has implemented five of those recommendations, and GAO closed two that were no longer valid. In July, GAO identified an additional seven priority recommendations, bringing the total back to 39.
GAO reported that, governmentwide, 77 percent of its recommendations made five years ago have been implemented. The implementation rate for DHS stands at 86 percent. As of July, DHS has 507 open recommendations, including the 39 priority recommendations.
How Does This Align With Other DHS Modernization Reviews?
GAO’s latest report follows a string of reviews into management and technology functions at DHS. In September, GAO reported that the DHS investment in modernizing its human resources IT systems has yielded limited results and lacks an approved strategy or measurable goals to guide the effort.
GAO has also scrutinized the broader acquisition portfolio at DHS. In a separate report, GAO found that costs across major acquisition programs baselined by DHS have grown by an estimated $11.4 billion, or 26 percent, since their baselines were first set, with delays affecting many of the department’s largest programs.
