Shortly after the September 11 attacks , Bush announced the creation of the Office of Homeland Security and appointed former governor of Pennsylvania Tom Ridge its director . After Congress passed the Homeland Security Act to create the Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) , Ridge became the first director of the newly-created department . The department was charged with overseeing immigration , border control , customs , and the newly-established Transportation Security Administration ( TSA ) , which focused on airport security . Though the FBI and CIA remained independent agencies , the DHS was assigned jurisdiction over the Coast Guard , the Immigration and Naturalization Service ( which was divided into three agencies ) , the United States Customs Service ( which was also divided into separate agencies ) , and the Federal Emergency Management Agency . The Homeland Security Act represented the most significant departmental reorganization since the National Security Act of 1947
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Presidency of George W. Bush