Washington, DC - The Department of Homeland Security announced the launch of its official Instagram account.

On Instagram, DHS will share images from across the Department’s components to showcase the important work carried out every day by our 240,000 dedicated employees. DHS joins our component agencies the Transportation Security Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency who have established presences on this social media tool.

The Department’s Instagram account features behind-the-scenes photographs from Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson’s domestic and international travel, as well as the Department’s day-to-day operations, including frontline efforts to protect our land, air and sea borders, engagement with local communities to prepare for and respond to disasters and threats of all kinds, and ceremonies to welcome America’s newest citizens. You can also view images from Secretary Johnson’s travel to Dilley, Texas and Mexico City this week, where he conducted a site visit in connection with the upcoming opening of the South Texas Family Residential Center and met with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto to discuss the recent executive actions directed by President Obama to fix the broken immigration system in the United States.

DHSgov on Instagram will complement the Department’s Flickr account that launched in November, featuring images from recent DHS events including Secretary Johnson’s latest engagements during trips to Massachusetts, Texas, California and Minnesota; they are available to view and download.

Today’s announcement is the next step in the Department’s continued efforts to leverage digital media and innovative technologies to communicate with the American people directly and effectively about our missions, priorities, and efforts to keep our Nation safe and secure.

Follow DHS online at www.dhs.gov/blog, www.dhs.gov/twitter, www.dhs.gov/facebook, www.dhs.gov/youtube, www.dhs.gov/flickr, and http://instagram.com/DHSgov. Links to component social media accounts can be found at www.dhs.gov/social.

For more information, visit www.dhs.gov.