The National Counterterrorism Center and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have reported a record prevention of 6,525 known or suspected terrorists (KSTs) from entering the U.S. in fiscal 2025. This significant increase is attributed to the recent designation of major cartels, including Sinaloa and CJNG, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), enhancing border security and intelligence operations.
In a landmark period for U.S. national security, federal agencies have announced a dramatic escalation in efforts to safeguard the nation’s borders. In just a few months, the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) has played a crucial role in preventing 6,525 individuals identified as known or suspected terrorists (KSTs) from successfully entering the United States. This proactive interception follows a record-breaking year where U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Border Patrol officers apprehended more than 3,000 KSTs attempting to enter the country illegally in fiscal 2025, according to official CBP data.
This year’s numbers represent a significant departure from previous trends. Prior to fiscal 2025, the highest number of KSTs apprehended by CBP and Border Patrol during the Biden administration was 1,903 between fiscal years 2021 and 2024. A substantial portion of these, 64% or 1,216 individuals, were apprehended at the northern border coming from Canada, as initially reported by The Center Square.
The Critical Role of FTO Designations in Enhanced Security
The unprecedented increase in KST apprehensions and prevented entries this year is directly attributed to a strategic shift in U.S. policy. Early in the year, several powerful transnational criminal organizations and cartels were officially designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). These groups include Tren de Aragua, MS-13, the Sinaloa Cartel, and the CJNG cartel, among others. This designation broadened the scope of who is classified as a potential threat, allowing for more aggressive intelligence gathering and interdiction efforts.
In the initial 100 days of the second Trump administration, the NCTC had already identified nearly 1,200 alleged terrorists illegally present in the U.S. This information was revealed by Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard, who also leads the NCTC. According to The Center Square, Gabbard specifically noted that 750 of these individuals had ties to dangerous groups such as MS-13, Tren de Aragua, and the Sinaloa Cartel.
Expanding the Terrorist Screening Dataset
By October, the NCTC’s efforts had led to the identification of more than 35,000 KSTs, who were subsequently added to the federal Terrorist Screening Dataset (TSDS). This critical database contains comprehensive biographical and biometric information about alleged or confirmed terrorists, facilitating its sharing among numerous law enforcement agencies, including CBP and Border Patrol agents. NCTC Director Joe Kent underscored the impact of this expansion, stating that it allowed law enforcement to prevent over 6,525 KSTs “from entering our country that under the previous administration would have been allowed in. This is just the tip of the iceberg. We’re doing this and more every day,” as confirmed by NCTC Director Joe Kent.
The TSDS is a crucial tool for interagency cooperation, enabling various federal and local entities to quickly identify individuals who pose a threat. The expansion reflects a heightened focus on intelligence-driven border security, aimed at pre-empting terrorist activities and organized crime within the U.S. The significance of the TSDS and its framework is detailed in a transparency document from the FBI.
Shifting Dynamics: Border Apprehensions Explained
For many years, CBP’s Office of Field Operations (OFO) and Border Patrol agents have been apprehending KSTs across the country. CBP systematically categorizes this data by OFO apprehensions at land ports of entry (POEs) along both the northern and southwest borders, and by Border Patrol apprehensions occurring between these POEs. Historically, the greatest number of KSTs have been apprehended at land ports of entry, with the northern border often seeing the highest figures, a trend previously reported by The Center Square.
However, fiscal 2025 marked a significant anomaly following the Trump administration’s designation of cartels as FTOs. This year, the majority of KSTs (2,782) were reported by CBP OFO officers at southwest border land POEs. In contrast, OFO officers at northern border land POEs reported 284 apprehensions. Between POEs, Border Patrol agents apprehended 61 KSTs at the southwest border, with no apprehensions reported at the northern border, according to official CBP statistics.
Historical data provides further context for these numbers:
- In fiscal 2023, a record 487 KSTs were reported at the northern border, alongside 83 at the southwest border.
- During the first full year of the first Trump administration in fiscal 2017, 217 KSTs were reported at the northern border and 118 at the southwest border.
CBP states that KSTs identified by OFO officers at land POEs are typically found inadmissible and either repatriated immediately or removed. They may also be transferred to another government agency for further detention and legal action. Similarly, those apprehended by Border Patrol between POEs are most commonly detained and removed or handed over to another government agency for subsequent law enforcement action.
Beyond Numbers: High-Profile Arrests and Their Impact
The intensified efforts by the NCTC and other agencies have not only resulted in increased interdictions but also led to several high-profile arrests. At a recent White House event, DNI Tulsi Gabbard highlighted some of these significant successes. Among the arrests were key leaders, money launderers, and cocaine traffickers associated with the Sinaloa Cartel.
A particularly disturbing case involved the arrest of a CJNG cartel-affiliated baby trafficker known as “La Diabla” (meaning “the devil”). Her apprehension last month successfully dismantled an abhorrent infant trafficking network. This network lured pregnant women to remote locations where they underwent illegal cesarean sections. The mothers’ organs were harvested, and their babies were subsequently sold to U.S. couples for approximately $13,500, The Center Square reported. This operation underscores the severe humanitarian and criminal threats posed by these organizations, further justifying their FTO designations.
The State Department formally designated the Sinaloa, CJNG, and other Mexican cartels as FTOs in February and continues to identify and designate additional groups as foreign terrorist threats.
What This Means for U.S. National Security
The strategic decision to designate transnational criminal organizations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations represents a paradigm shift in how the U.S. approaches border security and counterterrorism. It allows federal agencies to deploy a broader range of tools, resources, and legal authorities to combat threats that blur the lines between organized crime and terrorism. This comprehensive approach is not merely about stopping individuals at the border; it’s about disrupting vast criminal enterprises, their financial networks, and their ability to exploit vulnerable populations.
The record prevention and apprehension numbers in fiscal 2025 demonstrate the immediate impact of these enhanced measures. By strengthening intelligence databases like the TSDS and improving interagency collaboration, the U.S. is proactively mitigating potential threats to national security. These efforts send a clear message: the U.S. is committed to aggressively countering all forms of terrorism and organized crime, regardless of their origin, ensuring a more secure environment for its citizens.
