The Under Secretary, as head of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis at DHS, is the principal staff assistant and adviser to the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security for fusing law enforcement and intelligence information relating to terrorism and other critical threats.

Representing DHS within the United States Intelligence Community, the Under Secretary participates in inter-agency counter-terrorism efforts and is responsible for ensuring that state and local law enforcement officials receive information on critical threats from national-level intelligence agencies.

At that time, the position was within the DHS Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Directorate.

Following a 2005 reorganization of DHS, the position was made independent, appointed DHS Chief Intelligence Officer, and renamed Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis.

The Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-53) was enacted on August 7, 2007 and reorganized intelligence operations at DHS, elevating the Assistant Secretary to the Under Secretary level.