Embassy Security: Background Investigations of Foreign Employees
NSIAD-89-76
Published: Jan 05, 1989. Publicly Released: Feb 06, 1989.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of State's security investigation and reinvestigation practices for foreign national employees at nine overseas posts, focusing on: (1) the posts' compliance with State security investigation requirements; and (2) U.S. officials' views regarding the potential security risks that foreign nationals posed at overseas posts.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of State | The Secretary of State should ensure that the overseas posts consistently implement the requirements for investigating foreign national employees and foreign contractor personnel. |
Closed – Implemented
State initiated a review on a post-by-post basis to ensure that security investigative procedures are in compliance with existing regulations. Unfortunately, a backlog of investigations and reinvestigations at some posts has been inherent in the overseas system.
|
| Department of State | The Secretary of State should assign a specific headquarters unit or staff, within the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, the responsibility for monitoring post performance in conducting foreign national investigations. |
Closed – Implemented
Regional directors from the Bureau of Diplomatic Security's Office of Overseas Programs are now specifically responsible for monitoring post performance in conducting foreign national investigations through on-site consultations and receipt of monthly progress reports on FSN investigations. A new Office of Security Oversight will also review foreign national background clearances.
|
| Department of State | The Secretary of State should develop a pro forma tracking system that all posts can use for routinely identifying foreign nationals who need to be investigated or reinvestigated and ensure that any reinvestigation backlogs are promptly identified and resolved. |
Closed – Implemented
The Foreign Affairs Manual (3 FAM 922), Post Security Officers Handbook and Security Secretaries Handbook call for a tracking system. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security will monitor the backlog of investigations and the number of pending recommendations. If the number of overdue cases is high, the Bureau will instruct the post security officers to place a high priority on these cases.
|
| Department of State | The Secretary of State should ensure that each post maintains a record of security clearances for all assigned U.S. personnel. |
Closed – Implemented
Records of security clearances of each State enployee assigned overseas will be sent to the overseas post and will be maintained in the employee's personnel file. The Bureau developed a policy paper to require a Top Secret clearance for all U.S. personnel, regardless of agency, permanently assigned to a post and the methods of verifying such clearance data for TDY personnel.
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Topics
Background investigationsCivilian personnel recordsContractor personnelEmbassiesEmployment of foreign nationalsFacility securityInvestigations by federal agenciesMonitoringPerformance appraisalSecurity clearancesTerrorismFederal employees