UNION — Michael Chertoff is speaking on the Kean University campus in New Jersey.

The U.S. Homeland Security chief is scheduled to talk about the nation's homeland security and preparedness and the challenges facing President-elect Barack Obama.

Chertoff is an Elizabeth native and has been the nation's chief homeland security officer since 2005.

The Homeland Security Department was created by combining multiple agencies in 2003 in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Responsibilities include protecting the country's borders, testing for and studying infectious diseases, responding to disasters and preventing cyber attacks.