Top 7 Major Homeland Security Issues Facing the U.S. in 2026

Table of Contents#

Domestic Violent Extremism (DVE): The Top Domestic Terror Threat
Cyber Attacks on Critical Public and Private Infrastructure
Climate Change-Driven Disasters and Cross-Border Instability
Transnational Fentanyl and Human Trafficking Networks
Critical Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
Disinformation Threats to Democratic Processes and Public Safety
Emerging Technology Risks (AI, Drones, Biotech)
Cross-Cutting Challenges to Effective Homeland Security
Conclusion
References

1. Domestic Violent Extremism (DVE): The Top Domestic Terror Threat#

DHS's 2025 Homeland Threat Assessment confirms that DVE remains the deadliest and most persistent domestic terror threat facing the U.S. Earlier DHS data showed DVE actors were responsible for 75% of fatal domestic terror attacks between 2018 and 2022, and the threat environment is expected to remain high, driven by lone offenders and small groups radicalized by domestic sociopolitical developments and international events.

Threat profile: DVE actors include white supremacist groups, anti-government militias, anti-LGBTQ+ extremists, and violent incel communities, many of whom are radicalized online via unregulated social media platforms.
High-profile incidents: The 2021 January 6 insurrection, the 2022 Buffalo supermarket shooting that killed 10 Black shoppers, and the 2023 mass shooting at a Nashville Christian school are all tied to DVE ideologies.
Mitigation gaps: Efforts to monitor DVE are complicated by First Amendment protections, concerns about over-policing of marginalized groups, and inconsistent information sharing between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. In 2025, DHS and FBI resources for domestic terrorism monitoring were reportedly diverted toward immigration enforcement, raising concerns among lawmakers about gaps in threat detection.

2. Cyber Attacks on Critical Public and Private Infrastructure#

Cyber threats are the fastest-growing homeland security risk, with state actors (Russia, China, Iran, North Korea) and criminal ransomware groups targeting systems that support daily life for millions of Americans. China in particular has been pre-positioning on U.S. networks for potential cyber attacks in the event of a conflict, according to the 2025 DHS Homeland Threat Assessment.

Common targets: Power grids, water treatment plants, healthcare systems, K-12 schools, and energy pipelines. The 2021 Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack disrupted 45% of East Coast fuel supplies for 6 days, leading to widespread panic buying. Roughly 70% of all cyberattacks in 2024 involved critical infrastructure, according to the House Homeland Security Committee.
Growing trend: Ransomware complaints related to U.S. critical infrastructure rose 9% from 2023 to 2024, per the FBI, and the Internet Crime Complaint Center identified more than 2,100 ransomware incidents targeting critical infrastructure in 2025. Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) kits have lowered barriers to entry for non-technical criminal groups.
Institutional headwinds: In 2025, the Trump administration cut CISA staff by roughly a third, stating the agency had engaged in political overreach regarding election security and disinformation. Congress responded in early 2026 with a DHS appropriations agreement that included $20 million to rehire staff into critical cybersecurity positions and placed limits on further workforce reductions.

3. Climate Change-Driven Disasters and Cross-Border Instability#

DHS classifies climate change as an existential homeland security threat, as it stretches emergency response resources and drives global displacement.

Domestic disaster impacts: 2024 saw 27 separate weather and climate disasters in the U.S. that caused over $1 billion in damages each, the second-highest on record. In January 2025, the Los Angeles wildfires burned over 13,000 homes and caused more than$ 60 billion in damages — a record-breaking amount for a wildfire. In all, 2025 saw 23 billion-dollar weather disasters costing an estimated $115 billion, making it the third-highest year on record. FEMA's workforce shrank from nearly 29,000 to about 23,000 employees during 2025 due to federal layoffs, and the agency started the 2025 hurricane season with only 12% of its incident management workforce available, according to the Government Accountability Office.
Border impacts: The UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimates 21.5 million people are displaced globally by climate disasters each year, contributing to migration at the U.S. southern border from climate-vulnerable countries in Central America and the Caribbean.

4. Transnational Fentanyl and Human Trafficking Networks#

Transnational criminal organizations, primarily Mexican drug cartels, pose a direct threat to U.S. public safety and border security.

Fentanyl crisis: Fentanyl remains the deadliest drug trafficked into the country, though overdose deaths have declined significantly. Total drug overdose deaths dropped from 105,007 in 2023 to 79,384 in 2024 — a 24% decline — driven largely by decreases in fentanyl-involved deaths, according to finalized CDC data. Provisional data suggest deaths continued to fall through 2025, declining approximately 21% from the same period in 2024. Despite this progress, opioid deaths remain above pre-pandemic levels. Most illicit fentanyl is manufactured from chemical precursors sourced from China, smuggled across the southern border, and distributed via domestic criminal networks. The Trump administration designated illicit fentanyl as a "Weapon of Mass Destruction" in 2025.
Human trafficking: DHS estimates tens of thousands of people are trafficked into the U.S. each year for forced labor, sex work, and exploitation by cartels, who often smuggle migrants in exchange for work in drug production, retail, or domestic service.

5. Critical Supply Chain Vulnerabilities#

Disruptions to supply chains for critical goods create national security risks that impact every sector of the U.S. economy.

Key vulnerabilities: 80% of U.S. critical infrastructure supply chains rely on at least one high-risk foreign supplier, per DHS data. Shortages of semiconductor chips, generic prescription drugs, and medical supplies during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic exposed gaps that have yet to be fully addressed. A disruption to semiconductor imports from Taiwan would have cascading impacts across U.S. auto manufacturing and other industries.
Mitigation efforts: The 2022 CHIPS and Science Act has directed roughly $280 billion toward boosting domestic semiconductor research and manufacturing. As of July 2025, the Department of Commerce has provided incentive awards to 19 companies for 40 projects to construct, expand, or modernize semiconductor facilities, with announced projects expected to create and support over 525,000 American jobs. However, full implementation will take years to meaningfully reduce supply chain risks, and escalating trade restrictions on critical AI chip technologies are adding new complexities.

6. Disinformation Threats to Democratic Processes and Public Safety#

Foreign state actors and domestic bad actors use disinformation (intentionally false content) to erode public trust in government, incite violence, and interfere with elections.

Election interference: Disinformation about the 2020 presidential election was a core driver of the January 6 insurrection. During the 2024 presidential election, AI-generated deepfakes emerged as a new vector for election disinformation, including robocalls to New Hampshire primary voters featuring an AI-generated impersonation of President Biden urging them not to vote, and deepfake videos of Vice President Kamala Harris shared widely on social media. However, the worst-case scenarios did not materialize, and AI did not significantly disrupt the 2024 election outcome, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. In 2025, the Trump administration shuttered CISA's election security programs and scaled back federal support to state and local governments for election protection.
Public safety impacts: Disinformation spread during natural disasters, mass shootings, and public health crises leads to delayed emergency responses, harassment of first responders, and low uptake of life-saving public health guidance. During the 2023 Maui wildfires, false claims about "controlled burns" and false evacuation orders spread on social media, leading to avoidable deaths.

7. Emerging Technology Risks (AI, Drones, Biotech)#

Rapid, unregulated development of new technologies has created unaddressed homeland security gaps:

Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI-powered deepfakes can be used to create realistic fake footage of political leaders declaring war, false footage of terrorist attacks, or fake election results to incite public unrest. While AI did not disrupt the 2024 presidential election as feared, incidents like deepfake robocalls and manipulated videos demonstrated the growing threat. DHS has warned that the misuse of generative AI will continue to pose risks to public trust and democratic processes.
Unmanned Aerial Systems (Drones): Over 2,000 unauthorized drone incursions near U.S. airports were reported in 2023, and mysterious drone sightings over New Jersey and U.S. military bases brought the issue to national attention. In 2025, President Trump signed executive orders titled "Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty" and "Unleashing American Drone Dominance," creating a federal task force to assess drone threats and expand funding for counter-UAS technologies for state and local law enforcement.
Biotechnology: Low-cost, accessible gene editing tools have lowered barriers to developing novel bioweapons that could be released in crowded public spaces, with limited ability for public health systems to detect and respond to outbreaks quickly.

8. Cross-Cutting Challenges to Effective Homeland Security#

Three overarching barriers limit the U.S.'s ability to address the above threats:

Balancing security and civil liberties: Efforts to monitor DVE, disinformation, and online radicalization often conflict with First Amendment free speech protections and raise concerns about surveillance of Black, brown, and LGBTQ+ communities.
Inter-agency coordination gaps: DHS works with over 50 state and 3,000 local law enforcement and emergency response agencies, but inconsistent information sharing and resource allocation lead to gaps in threat detection. Staffing reductions at CISA and FEMA in 2025 have further strained coordination capacity, prompting Congress to impose oversight requirements including monthly briefings on workforce levels.
Equity gaps: Marginalized low-income communities are disproportionately impacted by natural disasters, cyberattacks on healthcare facilities, and DVE violence, but often receive less support from federal homeland security programs. The shift toward decentralizing disaster response to state and local governments may widen these disparities.

Conclusion#

The U.S. homeland security landscape today is far more complex than it was when DHS was created in 2002, requiring a whole-of-society approach that includes government agencies, private sector companies, community organizations, and individual citizens. The Trump administration's 2025 moves to restructure DHS, reduce staffing at CISA and FEMA, and shift more responsibilities to state and local governments have added new dimensions to an already challenging threat environment. Mitigating these risks will require not just adequate funding for DHS programs, but also intentional efforts to address equity gaps, protect civil liberties, maintain critical institutional capacity, and adapt policies to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology and global threats.

References#

U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2024). 2025 Homeland Threat Assessment. Retrieved from dhs.gov
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2019). Strategic Framework for Countering Terrorism and Targeted Violence. Retrieved from dhs.gov
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026). Provisional Drug Overdose Death Data. Retrieved from cdc.gov
KFF. (2026). Opioid Overdose Deaths: National Trends and Variation by Demographics and States. Retrieved from kff.org
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Election Security. Retrieved from cisa.gov
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Climate Change and Displacement. Retrieved from unhcr.org
Climate Central. (2026). U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters. Retrieved from climatecentral.org
Earth.Org. (2026). 2025 Third-Highest Year for Billion-Dollar Climate Disasters in US. Retrieved from earth.org
Government Accountability Office. (2025). FEMA Staffing Shortages Could Mean Disaster for Future Response Efforts. Retrieved from gao.gov
Institute for Defense and Government Advancement. (2026). What Are the Most Urgent Homeland Security Challenges for 2026? Retrieved from idga.org
Brennan Center for Justice. (2024). Gauging the AI Threat to Free and Fair Elections. Retrieved from brennancenter.org
National Institute of Standards and Technology. CHIPS for America. Retrieved from nist.gov