I am not sure that DHS is the right organization for this particular job... Yes, DHS can have a law enforcement role, but if this is all happening inside of the US, the FBI would probably take point in the actual chasing and arrest portion and liaise with DHS as the investigative unit. Secondly, DHS is a biiiiiiig agency that has many sub-agencies in it (USCIS, which handles mainly immigration and citizenship is a part of DHS. So is CBP, or customs and border patrol. So is the Transportation Security Agency -- the jerks who strip-search people in airports.) So you need to be clear on what part of DHS this person is working under
( ... )
When she died, they wouldn't tell her what they found about her death, would they? Apart from /she died from gunshot injuries/? And how would her death be conveyed to her family?
Most likely, if this isn't a situation where a third party called in first (like the hospital calling the family to inform them of the death) a superior of some kind (i.e. a higher ranking agent, department head, etc.) would visit the family directly to let them know.
Unless the DHS/FBI were seriously concerned that the details of the death would cause damage if it fell into enemy hands, they would tell the truth, and as much of the truth as possible. If, on the other hand, this agent were involved in some bigger operation and the details can put other agents or an existing operation in danger, the details would be withheld.
If it's somewhere in the middle, the family may have to sign legal agreements to not share these details outside of anyone who already knows/is approved by the agency, and THEN be told the details.
I think this would more likely be FBI. At least, there's plenty of news articles out there about FBI running sting operations against terrorists, and none that I can find about Homeland Security doing the same.
Question 1 is kind of dependent on 2-- and 2 just kind of depends on your story, I think. (I don't know what you mean by 'tracking the operations' of a terrorist group-- do you mean physically? Via SIGINT? Is she going undercover into the organization?)
No idea on 3.
4-- If the mission was classified, then they would not be able to tell her family about the mission, no.
I'm vacillating between physical tracking and undercover operation. If she is undercover, wouldn't she be away from her family for the whole time? And would she have a partner?
Would she be allowed to keep an electronic copy of every evidence she collects, in a secret location known only to her, or would this be unauthorised?
Yeah, if undercover, she wouldn't be able to go back home.
No idea on the partner thing.
That would be unauthorized, yes. Also potentially get her thrown in jail if found out, though I suppose that's not relevant to your story if she gets killed right off.
I am not a specialist in inside works of US security forces, but undercover would agents can't have regular contacts with family. Too big risk of getting caught and traced. Especially when working against terrorists, who tends to have better operation security then ordinary criminals.
And all her family will get before the end of operation and judge verdict (or possibly even after that) would probably be "has been killed in the line of duty"
Ah, thanks. I spent a long morning understanding the FBI beyond the TV shows I've watched. This makes sense. :)
ALso, do you know if she would be allowed to keep an electronic copy of every evidence she collects, in a secret location known only to her, or would this be unauthorised?
an agent from Homeland Security who's tracking the operations of a terrorist organisation. She gets killed in the beginning of the story. The whole mission was top secret and super-risky.
So I just have a few questions:
1. I'm assuming she cannot reveal this mission to her family. Would she be allowed to stay at home, or would she not be in contact with her family for the entirety of the operation?
2. Would this require undercover work, or would she operate as she is?
3. Ideally, how many partners should she have?
4. When she died, would the cause of her death be revealed to her family?
5. And finally, I did a lot of research about all the law enforcement in the USA and it looks to me like Homeland Security is the most suited for terrorists. But plase let me know if this would be better at the hands of FBI/CIA? My first reaction was that this would be something an intelligence analyst would do. Intelligence analysts do not work out in the field; they work in offices, where they can close their doors so people can't come in and
( ... )
I'm going with the FBI for now. She'll be a Special Agent with no partners, undercover for a couple of months. When she's getting really close to getting intel about the inner circle she realises there's a mole from the FBI working with them. Which is why she keeps the unauthorised USB as a failsafe so if she dies, her sons will know to find it and hand it over.
I thought CIA worked on threats outside of the US? I looked in the job requirements for special agents and one particular website told me that they do go long-term undercover. So is this okay? Or do I still need to switch to CIA? I will read your recommendation, though. :)
"Even my dreams are classified now." She was not kidding.
lol, yep.
For the rest, there is physical tracking and tracking through intelligence, and you're correct that the latter would be an intelligence analyst, not a field agent. However it sounds like what the OP is going for is physical tracking/going undercover into an organization inside the US, which would be FBI.
they work in offices, where they can close their doors so people can't come in and look over their shoulders
We mostly have cubes just like anyone else, actually. :)
I will reveal what exactly she was looking for as the story progresses. She is looking for the second and third-in-command, actually. This is fanfic and the (good and bad) characters are well-known in the fandom so I'm trying to be careful about what I reveal at what point in the story.
The agent knows who the mole is the moment she finds out there is a mole. She realises then that she has no time in her hands. She backs up her data, hides it, and tries to contact her office, but she gets killed before she can. Does that make sense? Gah, sometimes it just sounds better in my head.
I read about Hanssen and Wen Ho Lee. You know so much, and it was very interesting. Thanks for helping! :)
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Yes, this, LOL.
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When she died, they wouldn't tell her what they found about her death, would they? Apart from /she died from gunshot injuries/? And how would her death be conveyed to her family?
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Unless the DHS/FBI were seriously concerned that the details of the death would cause damage if it fell into enemy hands, they would tell the truth, and as much of the truth as possible. If, on the other hand, this agent were involved in some bigger operation and the details can put other agents or an existing operation in danger, the details would be withheld.
If it's somewhere in the middle, the family may have to sign legal agreements to not share these details outside of anyone who already knows/is approved by the agency, and THEN be told the details.
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Question 1 is kind of dependent on 2-- and 2 just kind of depends on your story, I think. (I don't know what you mean by 'tracking the operations' of a terrorist group-- do you mean physically? Via SIGINT? Is she going undercover into the organization?)
No idea on 3.
4-- If the mission was classified, then they would not be able to tell her family about the mission, no.
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I'm vacillating between physical tracking and undercover operation. If she is undercover, wouldn't she be away from her family for the whole time? And would she have a partner?
Would she be allowed to keep an electronic copy of every evidence she collects, in a secret location known only to her, or would this be unauthorised?
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No idea on the partner thing.
That would be unauthorized, yes. Also potentially get her thrown in jail if found out, though I suppose that's not relevant to your story if she gets killed right off.
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And all her family will get before the end of operation and judge verdict (or possibly even after that) would probably be "has been killed in the line of duty"
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ALso, do you know if she would be allowed to keep an electronic copy of every evidence she collects, in a secret location known only to her, or would this be unauthorised?
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So I just have a few questions:
1. I'm assuming she cannot reveal this mission to her family. Would she be allowed to stay at home, or would she not be in contact with her family for the entirety of the operation?
2. Would this require undercover work, or would she operate as she is?
3. Ideally, how many partners should she have?
4. When she died, would the cause of her death be revealed to her family?
5. And finally, I did a lot of research about all the law enforcement in the USA and it looks to me like Homeland Security is the most suited for terrorists. But plase let me know if this would be better at the hands of FBI/CIA?
My first reaction was that this would be something an intelligence analyst would do. Intelligence analysts do not work out in the field; they work in offices, where they can close their doors so people can't come in and ( ... )
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I thought CIA worked on threats outside of the US? I looked in the job requirements for special agents and one particular website told me that they do go long-term undercover. So is this okay? Or do I still need to switch to CIA? I will read your recommendation, though. :)
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lol, yep.
For the rest, there is physical tracking and tracking through intelligence, and you're correct that the latter would be an intelligence analyst, not a field agent. However it sounds like what the OP is going for is physical tracking/going undercover into an organization inside the US, which would be FBI.
they work in offices, where they can close their doors so people can't come in and look over their shoulders
We mostly have cubes just like anyone else, actually. :)
Reply
I will reveal what exactly she was looking for as the story progresses. She is looking for the second and third-in-command, actually. This is fanfic and the (good and bad) characters are well-known in the fandom so I'm trying to be careful about what I reveal at what point in the story.
The agent knows who the mole is the moment she finds out there is a mole. She realises then that she has no time in her hands. She backs up her data, hides it, and tries to contact her office, but she gets killed before she can. Does that make sense? Gah, sometimes it just sounds better in my head.
I read about Hanssen and Wen Ho Lee. You know so much, and it was very interesting. Thanks for helping! :)
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