Guarding America

Michael Chertoff headed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in its early years, from 2005 to 2009. As the third largest cabinet branch, with 218,000 employees, DHS controls immigration, borders, and even protects the president. Chertoff talked recently with NEWSWEEK's Jerry Guo about his tenure and new dangers facing the country. Excerpts:

In the past 18 months, at least a half dozen Americans have gone to Pakistan to train for jihad. Are we seeing the emergence of a homegrown jihadist movement?
The dimensions are less than we've seen in Europe. If safe havens were allowed to exist in places like Afghanistan and Pakistan, they would become platforms for recruiting Westerners and launching them against their native countries.

What's the single biggest threat to the U.S. today?
I worry most about a biological attack. The acceleration of know-how is constantly increasing.

There have been dire estimates that a nuclear bomb will go off in the U.S. within the next few years. Has this been overplayed?
I'm not someone to believe it's around the corner. It's not an emergency that needs investment in the next six months, but it's not something to put off. We want to be well positioned with our defenses so we don't play catch-up.

Many travelers see airport screening by the Transportation Security Administration as more theater than security. Are you satisfied with the current system?
The proof is there hasn't been a bomb or hijacking since. I think there's been some real improvement. Is there more to be done? Yes. We'd love to get to the point where you don't have to take your shoes off. [When] I left, [there was] good work on technology that allows larger bottles.

Has behavioral analysis worked?
It has. Someone was going up to a counter and an officer thought there was something suspicious. Before he went through the regular screening, someone opened the bag and found components for an explosive.

What's the timeline for shoes and liquids?
I'd like to think that within a year you may have to take your liquids out, but it would eliminate the three-ounce bottle restriction. Shoes may take a little longer.

You were at the helm when Hurricane Katrina hit. Do you believe the ad-ministration fell short, and have we learned from that tragedy?
Of course. The takeaway from Katrina was to have the federal government develop an integrated plan when states become overwhelmed. For example, a ton of buses [were needed] to evacuate people. Turns out the federal government doesn't have a fleet of buses sitting around. Three years later, when Hurricane Gustav hit, we were able to evacuate everyone from New Orleans.

You helped design the controversial Patriot Act. Certain provisions are up for renewal by Congress. Would you make any changes?
I think it's worked well as is. The basic essence of the act was to allow for the first time for information -sharing between agencies so we don't have a repeat of 9/11. Maybe because of the name, it's become a lightning rod for people who believe it authorized illegal wiretapping or the invasion of Iraq. These are just myths.

Critics have argued that there's no need for the massive DHS, which absorbed 22 agencies. What's your assessment?
It's much more mature now than it was when I came in. Planning for the pandemic flu was widely acknowledged to be useful to the current administration. I'm told by the border patrol that the rate of illegal flow is a third of what it was three years ago. These are signs of an effective department.