Strategic Communications and the Department of Homeland Security: Immigration Policies, Mixed Messaging, and Information Fratricide
Abstract
Under President Trump, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rolled out the controversial parent-child separation policy, also known as zero tolerance, and the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program in 2018-19. How DHS conducts strategic communications about such controversial policies is directly related to public and stakeholder perception of these policies. A newly developed stakeholder-centric measurement and evaluation model used to evaluate these two policy case studies demonstrates that Trumps DHS used messaging which was, at times, inconsistent and even contradictory. While communications on MPP showed an evolution in DHSs ability to successfully engage in strategic communications related to these enforcement efforts, the parent-child separation policy represents the prototypical example of information fratricide. The research methodology adopts an outsider viewpoint and employs a media content analysis of high-level public communications of DHS officials. Identification and future use of DHSs top communications strengths, as displayed in these sample communications, can lead to more effective strategic communications and improved stakeholder engagement. The thesis concludes with generalized recommendations for future communications policy within DHS based on lessons learned from this thesis research.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1150552
Entities
People
- Jonathan M. Graham
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School