The United States Diplomatic Security Service (DSS or DS) is the federal law enforcement and security arm of the U.S. Department of State. It is responsible primarily for protecting diplomatic assets, personnel, and information, and combating visa and passport fraud. The agency's activities include counterterrorism, counterintelligence, cybersecurity, and criminal investigations.
The DSS is the lead U.S. law enforcement organization abroad and the most widely deployed in the world, protecting 275 U.S. diplomatic missions in over 170 countries and 29 U.S. cities. DSS special agents are unique in the U.S. for being both Foreign Service members and federal law enforcement officers with investigatory and arresting powers. Originating from diplomatic security measures enacted during the First World War, the agency was formally established in 1985 following the deadly 1983 bombings of the U.S. embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon.
The agency's most visible activity is providing security to the U.S. Secretary of State, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and other senior diplomats both domestically and abroad. As part of its duty to provide a safe and secure environment for U.S. diplomacy, DSS also protects foreign dignitaries, advises U.S. ambassadors on security matters, and manages security programs for international events, often in cooperation with domestic and foreign counterparts.
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