A new Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) has been established in New York to target foreign terrorist organizations, criminal cartels, and transnational criminal groups with connections to the city. The initiative was announced on December 10 by U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella, Jr., and leaders from federal agencies including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), IRS Criminal Investigation, and the NYPD.
The HSTF New York is co-led by HSI and the FBI. It aims to use a coordinated government approach to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal networks operating both in New York and across the United States.
“We hear what New Yorkers want: they want our parks, schools, housing developments, subways, and streets to be safe and feel safe,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Together with our federal partners and the NYPD, the Southern District is committed to delivering safe streets and a better quality of life for all New Yorkers. In the last year, we have collectively investigated and charged: members of Tren de Aragua and many other brutally violent gangs with murders, sex trafficking, and narcotics distribution; over a dozen narco-terrorists and members of state-sponsored drug cartels with narcotics distribution; foreign nationals with fentanyl distribution; and most recently, 18 defendants in a wide narcotics sweep aimed at cleaning up Washington Square Park. The women and men of the SDNY are actively engaged in similar matters and are committed to making New York safer each and every day.”
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. commented on the significance of this joint effort: “The historic collaboration of this Task Force strengthens the mission to protect our citizens by standing between our Districts and the transnational criminal organizations, human smugglers, and cybercriminals who target us with drug trafficking, violence, and economic harm.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia highlighted law enforcement’s unified front: “FBI New York proudly stands alongside our federal, state, and local partners to co-lead with HSI New York the New York Homeland Security Task Force. By bringing the full force of the federal government, this task force will dismantle designated terrorist enterprises who are responsible for trafficking lethal drugs and weapons into our communities. Through unified partnership, we will continue to defend the homeland from evolving threats, safeguard critical infrastructure, and strengthen national resilience.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel emphasized coordination: “The people of this city deserve to know that special agents and investigators at every level of law enforcement are standing side-by-side… With unity as our strength… we will outpace… transnational criminal organizations at every turn.”
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis Jr. added that his agency brings financial expertise: “Whether it is money laundering… or leveraging our tax authority… Special Agents with IRS Criminal Investigation have long been known for lending their financial… expertise… With this agreement… we will continue to proactively leverage our knowledge… for the betterment of this new team.”
The HSTF’s mission includes targeting organizations involved in crimes such as drug trafficking, money laundering, weapons trafficking, human trafficking, smuggling migrants illegally into or through the United States (“alien smuggling”), homicide, extortion, kidnapping—focusing especially on those cases where there is a federal investigative interest.
A key feature is combining intelligence community resources with law enforcement investigations to improve effectiveness against these threats.
The task force brings together personnel from local entities like NYPD as well as multiple federal departments including Homeland Security; Justice; Treasury; State; War; Office of Director of National Intelligence; Labor; plus agencies such as ATF; Diplomatic Security Service; DEA; USCIS; Coast Guard; Customs & Border Protection; U.S Marshals Service (Eastern & Southern Districts); Postal Inspection Service; Secret Service.
Nationally since August 25—when HSTFs officially launched operations—the network has arrested more than 3,200 suspects tied to terrorism or organized crime (including Sinaloa cartel members), seized over 91 metric tons of narcotics off American streets within just six weeks.
Previously there were around 1,000 separate task forces focused on transnational crime nationwide but now efforts have been consolidated under HSTFs which operate across all states/territories while coordinating operations among various law enforcement levels.
HSTFs replace some functions previously held by Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) but differ from Safe Street Task Forces—which focus on domestic gangs—and Joint Terrorism Task Forces—which focus primarily on ideological-based terrorism rather than multijurisdictional cartel activity.
