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Washington, D.C.—A new television series premiering tonight, Homeland Security USA, will convey to the American public the critical roles Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees play in the physical and economic security of our country, said President Colleen M. Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU). The new series airs at 8 p.m. EST on the ABC network.

“Homeland Security USA focuses on the 24/7 work of federal employees who have devoted their careers to improving the security of the United States,” President Kelley said. “Most Americans are unaware of the scope of the work they do and this new series will highlight that work for viewers.”

NTEU represents 22,000 employees at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and thousands more at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Both are agencies within DHS and are charged with the security of airports, seaports and land border crossings.

On a typical day, President Kelley said, these committed federal employees process more than one million travelers arriving in the U.S.; deal with more than 70,000 cargo containers; refuse entry to more than 600 people and arrest 73 suspected criminals; and, seize more than 7,000 pounds of illegal drugs.

“Not only are they responsible for stopping illegal items and people at the border but CBP Officers also facilitate more than $2 trillion in annual trade that plays a major role in the U.S. economy,” Kelley said.

“Working on the frontlines of homeland security is a round-the-clock job and these employees take their responsibilities to our country seriously. My hope is that viewers will take away from this series a far better understanding of the work of CBP and TSA employees,” the NTEU leader said, “including their duties and responsibilities, as well as the dangers they frequently face.”

A strong advocate for CBP and TSA employees, NTEU works to share the stories of these frontline employees with the public and on Capitol Hill.

NTEU is the largest independent federal union, representing 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.