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U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityFY 2022‐2026 Learning AgendaExhibit 1. DHS Learning Agenda Development estionsIdentifyDepartmentPrioritiesDevelopStudy PlansPublish andDisseminateEngage External StakeholdersDHS conducted external stakeholder engagement for the learning agenda using well‐establishedmechanisms and relationships. DHS solicited public input regarding questions or studies thatcould guide DHS evidence‐building activities through two Requests For Information (RFI).2 3Social media campaigns and email outreach to 27,000 private sector partners and committeemembers representing industry and trade groups, professional associations, nongovernmentalorganizations, advocacy groups, community groups, and the public invited participation in theRFIs.Members of the public, industry, research, and state and local government communitiessubmitted 17 responses through the Federal Registry and email. In addition, DHS directlyengaged other federal agencies, including the Office of Management and Budget, and reviewedpriorities of the Administration and Congress in executive orders and memoranda, Congressionalhearings, and Government Accountability Office (GAO) audits.Gather Component QuestionsDHS gathered employee input for the learning agenda through a variety of activities. AnnualStrategic Reviews, an internal management process conducted to improve program outcomes,provided the first opportunity to engage senior officials and mission program staff in surfacinglearning priorities. Briefings with Component senior leaders on the learning agenda developmentactivities sought their priority questions and invited Components’ participation.DHS Components, led by Component members of the DHS Evaluation Officer Council, plannedand conducted Component‐specific internal stakeholder engagement activities, using meetings,workshops, working groups, executive taskers, and employee engagement forums to identify andprioritize Components’ learning agenda questions and proposals. Their activities consideredinput from external stakeholder engagement, as well as Administration and Departmentleadership priorities. The DHS Evaluation Officer provided flexible tools and guidance to supportComponent efforts and hosted weekly webinars and office hours to promote awareness andworkforce engagement in Component‐led activities.The participating Components listed below advanced 122 priority questions and proposals thatwere considered for this learning agenda. More organizations within DHS will participate insubsequent annual activities to update and amend the learning agenda.23See Request for Information: Evidence Building Activities, 85 FR 71353 (DHS, 2019)See Request for Information: Evidence Building Activities, 86 FR 8921 (DHS, 2020)2

U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityFY 2022‐2026 Learning AgendaOperational Components U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)Transportation Security Administration (TSA)U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)U.S. Secret Service (USSS)Support Components and Executive Leadership Offices Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD)Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)Intelligence and Analysis (I&A)Management Directorate (MGMT)Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans (PLCY)Science & Technology Directorate (S&T)Identify Department PrioritiesDHS systematically prioritized a set of relevant questions and scientifically rigorous evidencebuilding from Components’ proposals. A working group of 13 senior Department officials andtechnical experts,4 with responsibilities for enterprise‐wide coordination and governance ofevidence building and data, conducted multiple rounds of systematic review, deliberation, andprioritization of the Components’ priority questions and proposals. The results of a criterion‐based review of questions and accompanying proposals submitted by Components served as thebasis for the working group’s prioritization of questions and proposals with high relevance toAdministration priorities and high potential to provide scientifically rigorous, timely evidence fordecision making.The working group recommended 30 priority questions and proposals to the DHS Deputy’sManagement Action Group for inclusion in the learning agenda. Those 30 priority questionsaddressed 47 of the 122 Component priority questions when accounting for similar or relatedquestions. The working group has been reconstituted as a coordination body to continuallypromote collaboration and unity of effort across evidence building activities.4The working group includes the DHS Evaluation Officer (who is also the Performance Improvement Officer),the DHS Statistical Official, the DHS Chief Data Officer, the DHS Chief Economist, senior scientific officials fromS&T, senior operations research experts, and their deputies.3

U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityFY 2022‐2026 Learning AgendaDevelop Study PlansComponent members of the DHS Evaluation Officer Council and question champions identifiedteams to assist the DHS Evaluation Officer in developing study plans. The teams provided subjectmatter, evidence‐building, and data expertise needed to draft plans for inclusion in the DHS FY2022‐2026 Learning Agenda. Teams considered the Learning Agenda Working Group’s feedbackin their planning and engaged additional stakeholders as needed.Twenty‐seven (27) study plans were fully developed during this stage. DHS will establishadditional teams as needed to plan evidence building that may be proposed in future annualupdates of this learning agenda.Publish and DisseminateThe DHS FY 2022‐2026 Learning Agenda is published at the DHS public website andevaluation.gov. The DHS public website will host future updates on and findings of the evidencebuilding undertaken from the learning agenda as well as amendments to the learning agendathat reflect evolving needs. DHS intends to release reports, summaries, and key findings that areappropriate and accessible for external stakeholders and the public, except in the few cases forwhich disclosure limitations are noted in the study plans.As DHS envisions continual stakeholder engagement on the learning agenda, we invite feedbackon the published DHS FY 2022‐2026 Learning Agenda and continued collaboration from relevantexternal communities on questions in which data and expertise reside outside DHS, externalresearchers have interest in supporting DHS evidence building, and questions reflect sharedpriorities or have broad implications beyond DHS.Learning Agenda FrameworkThe DHS FY 2022‐2026 Learning Agenda is organized according to the strategic goals in theDepartment’s strategic plan.5 For each goal, the learning agenda identifies priority questions thatbuild evidence and foster organizational learning. The strategic goals are: Goal 1: Counter Terrorism and Homeland Security ThreatsGoal 2: Secure U.S. Borders and ApproachesGoal 3: Secure Cyberspace and Critical InfrastructureGoal 4: Preserve and Uphold the Nation’s Prosperity and Economic SecurityGoal 5: Strengthen Preparedness and ResilienceGoal 6: Champion the DHS Workforce and Strengthen the DepartmentAs required by the Evidence Act, the DHS FY 2022‐2026 Learning Agenda questions consider abroad range of Administration and Department priorities such as domestic terrorism,immigration, cybersecurity, infrastructure, climate, equity, COVID‐19, and the federal workforce.5The DHS Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2020‐2024 (DHS, 2020)4

U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityFY 2022‐2026 Learning AgendaThe organization of the DHS FY 2022‐2026 Learning Agenda is as follows:The Learning Agenda Summary section outlines summary information for each priority question: the primary DHS strategic goal and objective number addressed by the question, orcrosscutting if multiple goals are addressed;the proposed evidence‐building activity(s) for each priority question, includingfoundational fact finding (FFF), policy analysis (PA), performance measurement (PM), andprogram evaluation (PE);the fiscal year in which evidence building will start; andthe timeframe for expected results, indicated short term (ST) if results are expected FY2022‐2024 and long term (LT) if results are expected in FY 2025‐2026, or if the activity isrecurring.The Study Plans section is organized by strategic goal and provides plans for each priorityquestion. The study plans describes: the strategic or operational background for the priority question and the primary strategicobjective addressed;the proposed evidence building, including the evidence‐building activity(s), data,methods, analysis, and tools needed; andthe anticipated use and dissemination of findings from evidence building.Three sections provide additional information about DHS evidence building. The Data Priorities section describes general data types and named data sets that areproposed for DHS evidence building.The Study Types, Data collection Methods, and Analytic Approaches section providesmore explanation of commonly used and aspirational aspects of DHS evidence‐buildingactivities.The Challenges and Mitigating Strategies section describes barriers to evidence buildingthat are common across DHS organizations and collective solutions DHS is deploying toovercome such barriers.The information included in this plan has been collaboratively developed with the Componentsthat are the principal producers and users of the evidence and meets Evidence Act and OMBrequirements. The details provided ensure that DHS stakeholders have a clear and collectiveunderstanding of what priority evidence building is intended and how it will be used to informdecision making in the next four years.5

U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityFY 2022‐2026 Learning AgendaLearning Agenda SummaryExhibit 2 provides a summary of the learning agenda’s evidence‐building questions and plans.Exhibit 2. Summary of DHS Evidence Building Questions and PlansQuestionIDPriority tartExpectedResults1.2PM, PEFY22LTStrategic Goal 1: Counter Terrorism and Homeland Security ThreatsG1-Q1In what ways do service interventions funded throughviolence and domestic terrorism prevention grantscontribute to DHS goals for reducing individualsradicalizing to targeted violence and terrorism?Strategic Goal 2: Secure U.S. Borders and ApproachesG2-Q1What “push” and “pull” factors at the national and locallevels predict increases/decreases in the numbers ofnoncitizens arriving at the Southwest Border?2.1FFFFY22LTG2-Q2What effect, if any, have changes in southern land bordercontrols had on migrant encounters at sea?2.1FFFFY22LTG2-Q3How accurate were DHS’s estimates of the benefits andcosts in the regulatory impact analysis for the regulation,“Standards to Prevent, Detect, and Respond to SexualAbuse and Assault in Confinement Facilities”?2.3PEFY22STG2-Q4What, if any, person and case characteristics predicthigher likelihood of specific immigration enforcementoutcomes and time between border encounter and finaloutcome?2.3FFFFY22LTG2-Q5What factors, if any, help predict rates and lengths ofnonimmigrant overstays?2.3FFFFY22LTG2-Q6What, if any, person and case characteristics predicthigher likelihood of receiving specific immigration benefits?2.4FFFFY22LTG2-Q7What are the characteristics of people who naturalize?What demographic variables among lawful permanentresidents are correlated with the likelihood and timing ofnaturalization?2.4FFFFY22LTG2-Q8What are the characteristics of people who online filecompared to paper file for immigration benefits?2.4FFFFY22STG2-Q9What is the degree and source of variability in USCISutilization and completion rates, across adjudicative staff,at USCIS field offices?2.4FFFFY22STG2-Q10To what extent can available data predict adjudicationsactions sufficiently to warrant automation of steps towardcompletion or to automate whole processes?2.4FFFFY22STNote: Evidence building includes the following: FFF is foundational fact finding, PA is policy analysis, PM isperformance measurement, and PE is program evaluation. Expected results includes the following: short term (ST) ifresults are expected FY 2022-2024 and long term (LT) if results are expected in FY 2025-2026, or if the activity isrecurring.6

U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityFY 2022‐2026 Learning rtExpectedResultsG3-Q1How are stakeholders using cyber, critical infrastructure(CI), and emergency communications (EC) products andservices they receive from CISA? To what extent do theseproducts and services add value, such as increasingawareness and closing gaps in capabilities, plans, andpolicies? What factors prevent stakeholders from usingcyber/CI/EC products they receive?3.2PM, PEFY22STG3-Q2Do all subgroups of the target population participate in andperceive value and utility of national convenings asmechanisms of information exchange about security andrisk resilience? What gaps and unmet needs, if any, exist?3.2PEFY23STG3-Q3To what extent has the all-hazards communications unitposition-specific training and stakeholder communicationunit program enhanced interoperability by (1) creating,maintaining, and deploying a qualified group of people tofulfill Communications Unit (COMU) roles in federal, state,local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) partner organizationsand (2) enhancing integrated, collaborative,communications planning?3.2PM, PEFY23STQuestionIDPriority QuestionStrategic Goal 3: Secure Cyberspace and Critical InfrastructureStrategic Goal 4: Preserve and Uphold the Nation’s Prosperity and Economic SecurityG4-Q1Which facilities should have Transportation WorkerIdentification Card (TWIC) readers to appropriatelymanage risk?4.2FFF, PAFY22STG4-Q2What are the most significant sources of variation intransportation security sector (TSS) operators’implementation of cyber security technology andprocesses? What do TS

2026 Learning Agenda. is published at the DHS public website and evaluation.gov. The DHS public website will host future updates on and findings of the evidence building undertaken from the learning agenda as well as amendments to the learning agenda s,summaries,andkeyfindingsthatare