FBI, HSI Announce Nationwide Homeland Security Task Forces to Target Transnational Organized Crime

The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations announced the implementation of Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTFs) across the United States, a coordinated, interagency effort established under Executive Order 14159 issued in January 2025 to combat transnational organized crime.

Section Chief Mark Remley, who leads the FBI’s Transnational Organized Crime Program and is overseeing the HSTF rollout, said the model is designed to co‑locate federal, state and local partners under one roof to pursue and dismantle criminal enterprises. "It tended to be a long term sustainable task force focused on bringing all federal, state, and local partners together under one roof to have a more coordinated and integrated approach as we combat these threats," he said.

Why it matters: The task forces are intended to centralize intelligence and investigative resources against cartels, foreign gangs and other transnational criminal organizations whose operations — the FBI said — have been linked to a surge in fentanyl distribution and cross‑border human trafficking. The effort is nationwide: the executive order directed the formation of homeland security task forces in all 50 states, and the podcast said the program reached full implementation in September (the episode did not specify a year for September).

Scope and structure: Remley outlined the crimes HSTFs will investigate, including drug trafficking, money laundering, human trafficking, alien smuggling, homicide, extortion, kidnapping and weapons trafficking. He said immigration enforcement is not the focal point of the task forces but may be employed as an investigative tool when appropriate. "In the course of an investigation, we will analyze and look at it strategically ... whether it's more appropriate for the use of government resources to remove them from the country or if it makes more of a strategic impact to pursue investigations and prosecution of those individuals," Remley said.

The HSTF model uses regional hubs called Central Operations and Regional Enforcement (CORE) offices with satellite offices supporting ground teams, and a National Coordination Center (NCC) co‑led by the FBI and HSI to provide high‑level support. Leads will be routed from national centers — including the NCC and the National Counterterrorism Center — to respective regions for action.

Interagency participation: The podcast stated personnel from more than 15 federal agencies will staff the NCC. Named agencies included U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, the National Counterterrorism Center and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. (A phrase in the transcript that referred to a "Department of War" appears to be an error; U.S. federal practice uses the Department of Defense.)

Measuring success and community feedback: Remley said success metrics for the HSTFs will include community and partner feedback, increases in arrests and indictments and extraditions into the United States. He emphasized a case‑by‑case investigative approach and said the FBI aims to focus finite resources on the "worst of the worst" organizations whose activity most directly harms Americans.

Statement from the director: FBI Director Kash Patel, in a recorded message, described transnational organized crime as "a complex and constantly evolving threat" that requires "an equally sophisticated and agile response." He praised the HSTFs and said the FBI will continue to work with HSI and other partners to "disrupt and dismantle these foreign terrorist organizations, bring their members and collaborators to justice, and restore law and order in our communities." The director's remarks as presented in the episode referenced "attorney general Bondi" and "Homeland Security secretary Noem."

Next steps and public information: The podcast directed listeners to fbi.gov/news and fbi.gov/podcasts for more materials, including related stories and videos. The FBI said partners and communities will be asked to provide feedback that will inform assessments of the program's effectiveness.