The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has decertified the Marianas Regional Fusion Center’s secure room, a move that prompted sharp disagreement Sunday between Sen. Shawn Gumataotao and the Office of the Governor over the implications for Guam’s national security posture.
In a media statement issued Feb. 8, Gumataotao said the decertification means Guam no longer has the capability to store, process, transmit or discuss classified national security information through the fusion center. Gumataotao chairs the Legislature’s Committee on Public Safety, Emergency Management, and the Guam National Guard.
Gumataotao said his committee received information that the secure room was decertified by the Office of the Chief Security Officer on Feb. 4, one day after Adelup publicly stated that emergency plans were current and that the fusion center transition was underway.
“The decertification of the MRFC Secure Room confirms what the committee has feared could happen when local leadership protects the status quo instead of strengthening our emergency management infrastructure,” Gumataotao said.
He urged the governor to immediately assemble personnel and resources across the government of Guam to relocate the secure room and work to regain eligibility to access classified information, warning that failure to do so could jeopardize Guam’s ability to detect and respond to threats affecting both Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
In a separate statement issued the same day, the Office of the Governor rejected the characterization that the decertification reflects a lapse in preparedness or public safety.
“Standards for secure rooms are not static,” the statement said, adding that they are updated as threats and intelligence risks evolve. The governor’s office said the DHS memo does not assign blame, cite failures in emergency planning, or suggest a breakdown in law enforcement readiness.
According to Adelup, the DHS directive requires the secure room to be closed and relocated to a facility that meets updated federal standards, and the administration is already working with DHS to bring a compliant facility online.
“We will not politicize national security,” the statement said. “We will meet the standard, correct the issue, and continue doing the work of keeping Guam safe.”
The Marianas Regional Fusion Center supports information sharing among local and federal law enforcement and homeland security partners across Guam and the CNMI. No timeline has been publicly announced for when a replacement secure room will become operational.