Biden will reportedly try to infuse climate research into DHS decision-making

It's unclear to what extent President-elect Joe Biden will be able to overhaul the Department of Homeland Security, but he's going to try to do just that, The New York Times reports. It won't all be about reversing or scaling back President Trump's immigration policies, however — there are reportedly aspects of the department Biden will try to revamp and bolster, as well.

For example, the Times reports a group of volunteers that includes ex-Obama administration officials is helping with the DHS transition by focusing on infusing climate change research into future departmental decision-making. The new administration would try to use that research to "shape natural disaster response and resilience to assist the Coast Guard as it patrols the Arctic" and predict places that may be the source of migration waves based on environmental effects.

"If you look at what's going on in the world now, in addition to border security and [Transportation Security Administration] airline issues, you have a pandemic and an unprecedented hurricane season," Michael Chertoff, a homeland security secretary in the George W. Bush administration, told the Times, adding that Biden will take a "broader-based, more strategic approach" to the department. Read more at The New York Times.

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