DHS Privacy Office

The DHS Privacy Office is a statutorily created office within the United States Department of Homeland Security.

Created by Congress in 2002, the Privacy Office is intended to make one person responsible for monitoring government programs and new technologies that may affect U.S. citizens' privacy and personal information. The organic authority for the Privacy Officer is found at of the Homeland Security Act. In 2004, Congress amended Section 222. It currently reads:

The Secretary shall appoint a senior official in the Department, who shall report directly to the Secretary, to assume primary responsibility for privacy policy, including—

(1) assuring that the use of technologies sustain, and do not erode, privacy protections relating to the use, collection, and disclosure of personal information;

(2) assuring that personal information contained in Privacy Act systems of records is handled in full compliance with fair information practices as set out in the Privacy Act of 1974 ;

(3) evaluating legislative and regulatory proposals involving collection, use, and disclosure of personal information by the Federal Government;

(4) conducting a privacy impact assessment of proposed rules of the Department or that of the Department on the privacy of personal information, including the type of personal information collected and the number of people affected;

(5) coordinating with the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties to ensure that—
(A) programs, policies, and procedures involving civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy considerations are addressed in an integrated and comprehensive manner; and
(B) Congress receives appropriate reports on such programs, policies, and procedures; and

(6) preparing a report to Congress on an annual basis on activities of the Department that affect privacy, including complaints of privacy violations, implementation of the Privacy Act of 1974 , internal controls, and other matters.

Additionally, the Privacy Officer serves as the Chief Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Officer for the department.

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