CARTEL Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 1079

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Immigration

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-02-06: Referred to the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence.

Last Updated

2026-07-09T13:27:22Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The CARTEL Act of 2025 aims to increase transparency on U.S. border security by requiring the public release of detailed operational statistics from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and mandating reports to Congress on threats from foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). It focuses on tracking encounters at U.S. borders to better inform the public and lawmakers about immigration, crime, and terrorism risks.

Key Provisions

• Monthly Publication of CBP Statistics (Section 2): Starting no later than the seventh day of each month (beginning with the second full month after enactment), the CBP Commissioner must post data on a public Department of Homeland Security (DHS) website. This includes:
• Total and unique encounters with non-citizens (individuals attempting to enter the U.S. without authorization) and their nationalities.
• Apprehensions of gang-affiliated individuals and their nationalities.
• Drug seizures.
• Encounters with individuals listed in the terrorist screening database (a U.S. government list of known or suspected terrorists) and their nationalities.
• Arrests of non-citizens with criminal records or wanted by law enforcement, including nationalities.
• "Known got aways" (individuals detected crossing but not apprehended).
• Encounters involving deceased non-citizens.
• Encounters or apprehensions linked to TCOs (groups like drug cartels involved in cross-border crime).
• Any other related CBP-recorded statistics from the prior month.
• Specific details on:
• Repeat unlawful crossing attempts by those in the terrorist screening database.
• Apprehensions of such individuals, noting if they were released into the U.S. or removed (deported).
• Repeat unlawful crossing attempts by TCO affiliates.
• Apprehensions of TCO affiliates, noting if released or removed.

• Annual Report to Congress (Section 3): Within 90 days of enactment and every year after, the DHS Secretary must submit an assessment to the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. The report evaluates FTOs (groups designated as terrorists under U.S. immigration law) and TCOs attempting to infiltrate the U.S. via the southern land border, northern land border, or maritime routes, including efforts to move members or affiliates into the country.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• This bill introduces mandatory monthly public disclosures of detailed CBP border encounter data, which were previously not required to be released in this standardized, accessible format or frequency. It expands reporting beyond general statistics to include specifics on terrorism watchlist matches, TCO affiliations, and outcomes like releases or removals.
• It adds a new annual congressional reporting requirement focused on FTO and TCO border threats, building on but not replacing existing DHS intelligence-sharing obligations under laws like the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
• No amendments to core immigration or border enforcement laws (e.g., Immigration and Nationality Act) are made; it primarily imposes transparency and oversight mandates.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: CBP and DHS will face increased administrative burdens to compile, verify, and publish data monthly, potentially requiring new resources or systems for data aggregation. This could enhance internal accountability but strain operations if not funded adequately.
• On Citizens: Greater public access to border statistics may raise awareness of security issues, influencing public discourse on immigration and crime. It could empower advocacy groups or media to scrutinize enforcement effectiveness.
• On International Relations: Highlighting TCO and FTO activities might pressure countries of origin (e.g., in Latin America or elsewhere) to cooperate on countering these groups, potentially affecting diplomatic ties or aid programs. No direct changes to foreign policy, but it could inform U.S. strategies against cross-border threats.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Federal Agencies: Primarily CBP and DHS, responsible for data collection and reporting.
• Congress: House and Senate homeland security committees, which receive reports and can use them for oversight or legislation.
• The Public: U.S. citizens and residents, gaining direct access to border data via a government website.
• Non-Citizens and Immigrants: Individuals encountered at borders, as their anonymized data (e.g., nationalities) will be publicized, though personal details remain protected.
• Law Enforcement and Security Communities: Benefits from highlighted trends in terrorism and crime, aiding coordination.
• Transnational Groups: FTOs and TCOs indirectly affected through increased U.S. visibility and potential responses to their activities.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens transparency under existing federal reporting laws without altering enforcement powers; data must comply with privacy protections (e.g., no individual identifiers). The terrorist screening database reference ties to established statutes, ensuring consistency.
• Constitutional: No apparent conflicts with privacy rights (Fourth Amendment) or due process, as it involves aggregated, non-personal data. It supports congressional oversight of executive agencies, aligning with separation of powers.
• Political: Emphasizes border security and threats from cartels/terrorists, potentially fueling debates on immigration policy. As a bipartisan-introduced bill (by House Republicans), it could advance in a security-focused Congress but face scrutiny over resource needs or data accuracy.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Luttrell, Morgan [R-TX-8]

Cosponsors (15)

Rep. Steil, Bryan [R-WI-1], Rep. Webster, Daniel [R-FL-11], Rep. Collins, Mike [R-GA-10], Rep. Gimenez, Carlos A. [R-FL-28], Rep. Garbarino, Andrew R. [R-NY-2], Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2], Rep. Bergman, Jack [R-MI-1], Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10], Rep. Babin, Brian [R-TX-36], Rep. Crenshaw, Dan [R-TX-2], Rep. Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4], Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14], Rep. Owens, Burgess [R-UT-4], Rep. Moore, Tim [R-NC-14], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

Recent Actions

• 2025-02-06: Referred to the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence.
• 2025-02-06: Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
• 2025-02-06: Introduced in House
• 2025-02-06: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Cartel And Radical Terrorist Enforcement Log Act of 2025 — issued 2025-02-06 — PDF (4 pages)