Homeland Security Task Force

The nation’s coordinated assault on
cartels.

Thirty regional task forces spanning every state and territory to dismantle drug trafficking, human smuggling, and violent cartel networks threatening American communities.

The threat doesn’t respect borders. The response has to match it.

Transnational criminal organizations don’t operate like domestic criminals. They move across jurisdictions, exploit gaps between agencies, and operate at a scale no single law enforcement body was built to handle alone. Fentanyl flowing into American communities. Cross-border trafficking networks. Cartel-controlled smuggling routes running directly into American cities. The Homeland Security Task Force was created to close those gaps — a permanent, unified federal response that operates everywhere these networks do.

U.S. Marshals operation

MS-13. Tren de Aragua. Sinaloa Cartel. CJNG. These aren’t street gangs. They are designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations operating across national borders — and inside American communities.

Six threat categories.
One coordinated response.

Narcotics operation

Narcotics & Contraband

Cartel-driven drug trafficking across borders and distribution networks — fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin.

Human trafficking prevention

Human Trafficking & Smuggling

Dismantling cross-border trafficking and smuggling networks. Priority focus: offenses involving children.

Weapons seizure

Weapons Trafficking

Intercepting illegal firearms flowing across international borders and into American communities.

Financial investigation

Financial Crimes

Targeting the money — illicit proceeds, laundering networks, and terrorist financing that fund cartel and gang operations.

Gang disruption operations

Transnational Gangs

Disrupting Foreign Terrorist Organizations including MS-13 and Tren de Aragua operating across national borders.

Intelligence operations

Intelligence Fusion

Combining intelligence community data with federal law enforcement investigations — for the first time at this scale.

The September Surge: what six weeks of full operational capacity looks like.

3,266Arrested
200.6kLbs. of Drugs Seized
1,067Illegal Firearms Recovered
400Operations

Federal, state, and local law enforcement—working as one.

The task force is built around four interlocking structures that let 30 regional operations share intelligence, coordinate enforcement, and act in concert against national-level targets.

“For the first time, law enforcement will have a permanent task force in every state and territory nationwide.”

Donald J. Trump45th & 47th President of the United States

Nationwide coordination across 52 states and territories.

8500+Federal Agents & Analysts
440+State & Local Agencies
52States & Territories Covered

Twenty-plus federal agencies.
Hundreds of state, local, and international partners.

FBI SealFederal Bureau of Investigation
HSI BadgeHomeland Security Investigations
DEA SealDrug Enforcement Administration
ATF SealBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives
USMS SealU.S. Marshals Service
USPIS SealU.S. Postal Inspection Service
USCG SealU.S. Coast Guard
CBP SealCustoms & Border Protection
IRS-CI BadgeIRS Criminal Investigation
TSA SealTransportation Security Administration
DOS SealDepartment of State
NCTC SealNatl. Counterterrorism Center
FBOP SealBureau of Prisons
USCIS InsigniaU.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services
USSS FlagU.S. Secret Service
ONDCP SealOffice of National Drug Control Policy
DOL-OIG SealDept. of Labor, Office of Inspector General
DOW SealDepartment of War

From executive order to full operational capacity in nine months.

Jan 20
The mandate.The President directed the creation of a permanent, interagency task force to combat transnational criminal organizations in every U.S. state and territory. Simultaneously, cartels were designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations — expanding the legal tools available to investigators.
Jan
The designations.Criminal cartels formally designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists — a classification that changed what law enforcement could do to disrupt their operations and finances.
Mar
Building the machine.The Homeland Security Council launched full task force implementation. The Interagency Fusion Cell stood up — for the first time integrating intelligence community data with federal law enforcement investigations at a national scale.
Apr 28
Expanding authority.A second executive order strengthened and expanded law enforcement authorities across the task force network.
Jul
National network complete.The National Coordination Center brought all 30 regional task forces online. The network was operational coast to coast.
Aug 28
Governance finalized.The Homeland Security Task Force Charter was signed — establishing formal governance, priorities, and accountability structures for the full network.
Sep–Oct
Full capacity. First results.The task force achieved full operational capability nationwide. The September Surge launched: 400 operations, 3,266 arrests, 91 metric tons seized in six weeks.

Frequently Asked
Questions

A nationwide network of interagency law enforcement task forces targeting criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. Established by executive order to operate permanently in every U.S. state and territory.
Co-led by Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with oversight from the National Security Council.
30 regional task forces and 29 satellite offices operate in all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.
The National Coordination Center in Fairfax, VA is the operational hub of the task force network. It coordinates enforcement activities, provides operational support, and directs national-level priorities.
Narcotics trafficking, human trafficking and smuggling, weapons trafficking, financial crimes, transnational gang activity, and intelligence fusion operations.
Homeland Security Task Forces target cross-border transnational criminal organizations with a focus on arrests and convictions. Joint Terrorism Task Forces focus on ideological terrorism. Safe Streets Task Forces target domestic gang activity. These are complementary, not competing, structures.
State and local law enforcement are critical partners — embedded within regional task forces and engaged through the Law Enforcement Partners Council.
No. The Homeland Security Task Force focuses exclusively on criminal law enforcement.
Through existing federal law enforcement budgets with shared agency resources.
Contact your regional task force directly, or reach out through the Law Enforcement Partners Council.