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U.S. Intelligence Blocks Over 10,000 Narcoterrorism Suspects From Entering Country
U.S. intelligence officials prevented more than 10,000 individuals with ties to narcoterrorism from entering the United States in 2025, according to exclusive information obtained by Fox News Digital. Intelligence agencies also added over 85,000 similarly-connected individuals to the national terror watchlist during the same period.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) gathered and shared intelligence with law enforcement partners at the Department of Homeland Security and FBI to block potential threats from accessing U.S. soil, officials confirmed.
“President Trump gave the order to secure the homeland, and ODNI’s National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) delivered,” said Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. “In 2025, intelligence shared by our team to federal, state and local partners stopped more than 10,000 persons with connections to terrorism from accessing our country.”
Gabbard further explained that “thousands of successful actions against cartels and gangs are driven by intelligence from the National Counterterrorism Center,” crediting the center’s integrated intelligence analysis and timely response capabilities for the apprehension and removal of criminal elements from U.S. territory.
The enhanced security measures follow President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations, a move that significantly expanded the tools available to intelligence agencies for targeting these groups. A senior counterterrorism official explained that this designation allowed officials to “leverage the tools of the intelligence community” in ways previously unavailable.
“Denied access” took various forms, including visa revocations, arrests, deportations, and targeted investigations, according to officials. The added layer of security represents a major shift in approach to border protection and national security.
The 85,000 new identities added to the terrorist database directly inform the FBI’s Terror Watchlist and are shared with local law enforcement nationwide, creating a more comprehensive security network. This information sharing between federal and local authorities has proven crucial to the initiative’s success.
“Had we had a capability like this pre-9/11, the hijackers wouldn’t have been able to come into our country in the first place,” a senior counterterrorism official told Fox News Digital. “We have denied 10,000 narcoterrorists from coming into the country — from ever setting foot in America — which is a huge success.”
The official contrasted the current approach with that of the previous administration, claiming that under Biden’s leadership, these individuals were able to “come back and forth between Mexico, South America, and more as they pleased, with impunity.” The official added that under the Biden administration, authorities would typically “wait for the individuals to come into the country and then commit another crime” before taking action.
The senior official emphasized the deadly impact of cartel operations, noting that “cartels prior to the Trump administration were killing 100,000 Americans per year due to fentanyl alone, so taking them off the playing field is saving American lives.”
Despite the focus on narcoterrorism, officials maintain that “traditional terrorists” still pose a significant threat. The National Counterterrorism Center continues to monitor al-Qaeda, Iranian networks, and ISIS, alongside cartel and gang activities. However, the official noted that fewer than five “traditional terrorists” have attempted to enter the United States recently, and those individuals tried to enter through commercial airlines rather than the southern border.
In a notable expansion of terrorism designations, the official also confirmed that Antifa has been added to the list of terrorist organizations, with ongoing investigations into potential foreign ties to the group.
The enhanced security measures come amid a broader push by the Trump administration to strengthen border security and combat transnational criminal organizations. The administration’s strategy includes both domestic enforcement and international operations, as evidenced by recent actions against foreign leaders with alleged ties to narcoterrorism.
Critics of the administration’s approach have raised concerns about potential civil liberties implications and the broad application of terrorism designations. However, intelligence officials maintain that the new measures are necessary to protect national security and prevent drug-related deaths in the United States.
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14 Comments
This is certainly a concerning development, with over 85,000 individuals added to the terror watchlist in a single year. I wonder what criteria are being used to add people and whether there are adequate checks and balances in place to ensure accuracy and fairness.
You raise a good point. The rapid expansion of the watchlist highlights the need for robust oversight and transparency around the process. Balancing national security and civil liberties is always a delicate challenge.
Wow, that’s a massive increase in the terror watchlist in just one year. While I understand the need for robust border security, the scale of this expansion is quite alarming. I hope there are clear guidelines and due process in place to ensure the integrity of the system.
Stopping potential narcoterrorists from entering the US is an important task, but the sheer number of new additions to the watchlist is quite alarming. I hope the intelligence community is exercising due diligence and using narrowly tailored criteria to identify genuine threats, while respecting civil liberties.
This is a sobering update on the state of counterterrorism efforts. While I appreciate the need to keep our borders secure, the rapid growth of the watchlist raises significant civil liberties concerns that warrant close examination. I hope there are robust checks and balances in place.
Preventing narcoterrorists from entering the country is certainly a worthy goal, but the details around the watchlist expansion are concerning. I hope the intelligence agencies are exercising appropriate discretion and adhering to strict legal and ethical standards in their operations.
Agreed. The sheer volume of new additions to the watchlist suggests there may be some overbroad or questionable criteria being used. Careful oversight and transparency are crucial to maintain public trust in these critical security measures.
Blocking 10,000 potential narcoterrorists from entering the US is an impressive achievement. However, the sheer scale of the expanded watchlist is concerning and merits closer scrutiny. I hope there are rigorous procedures in place to ensure the integrity of the intelligence and vetting process.
Interesting update on border security and counterterrorism efforts. It’s crucial that our intelligence agencies work to identify and block potential threats from entering the country. While these numbers seem high, ensuring national security is paramount.
I agree, protecting the homeland should be a top priority. Proactive measures to identify and prevent terrorist infiltration are important, though the large scale of the watchlist raises some concerns that need to be addressed carefully.
This is certainly an important national security issue, but the details around the watchlist expansion and criteria used to add individuals raise some red flags. I hope there are adequate safeguards and accountability measures in place to protect against potential abuse or overreach.
I agree, transparency and oversight are critical when it comes to such expansive counterterrorism efforts. The public deserves to know more about the specific protocols and rationale behind these actions.
The figures on blocked narcoterrorists and the expanded watchlist are certainly eye-opening. I’m curious to learn more about the specific intelligence and criteria used to identify these threats. Maintaining national security is paramount, but the process must also uphold democratic principles and individual rights.
Excellent point. Transparency and accountability around these counterterrorism efforts are crucial, especially given the scale of the watchlist expansion. The public deserves to understand how these decisions are made and what safeguards are in place.