The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston Field Office and FBI Houston have announced the establishment of a regional Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) on July 17 to combat emerging threats from transnational criminal organizations in Southeast Texas.
The task force was created as a regional component to the national Homeland Security Task Force established by the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice pursuant to an Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump on January 29, 2025, to protect the American people from invasion by transnational criminals.
The Houston HSTF’s objective is to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations operating in Southeast Texas through a collaborative, whole-of-government approach. To accomplish this mission, the HSTF will conduct intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional investigations targeting drug trafficking, money laundering, weapons trafficking, human trafficking, alien smuggling, homicide, extortion, kidnapping, child exploitation, and other transnational crimes. The task force will work closely with state and local partners to identify, investigate, and eliminate violent criminal organizations and associates operating in communities throughout Southeast Texas…