§124i Homeland Security Information Sharing Fellows Program

Summary

Creates the Homeland Security Information Sharing Fellows Program run by the Department’s Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, with input from the Chief Human Capital Officer. The program brings State, local, and tribal law enforcement officers and intelligence analysts into the Office of Intelligence and Analysis so they learn how the Department and other Federal agencies work and help share useful information. Fellows act as points of contact, spot homeland security, terrorism, and weapons-of-mass-destruction information that local partners need, and help prepare and spread tailored intelligence and emergency-response products. To be a fellow, a person must have homeland-security duties, be able to get the right security clearance and a need to see classified information, work for an eligible entity (such as a fusion center, a State or local agency serving metro/suburban/rural areas or with port/border/agricultural duties, tribal authorities, or others the Secretary approves), and complete privacy and civil liberties training developed or sponsored by the Privacy Officer and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in consultation with the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (section 2000ee of title 42). Joining is voluntary. The Under Secretary must set nomination and selection rules, pick fellows from a wide range of agencies, and limit numbers so Office work is not disrupted.