Enforcing Federal Law With Respect to Transnational Criminal Organizations and Preventing International Trafficking

This executive order declares it U.S. policy to aggressively combat transnational criminal organizations including drug cartels and human trafficking networks through strengthened federal enforcement, interagency coordination, international cooperation, and resource prioritization. It directs the Threat Mitigation Working Group—co-chaired by the Secretary of State, Attorney General, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Director of National Intelligence—to coordinate implementation, assess resource allocation, review relevant laws, issue quarterly public reports on convictions, and submit an initial report to the President within 120 days.

Federal Register Open PDF 82 FR 10691

Impact dates

Date TBD
Annual reports on progress and recommended actions
Date TBD
Quarterly reports on convictions relating to transnational criminal organizations
Jun 9, 2017
Initial report to President on TCO penetration into the United States

Key directives

TMWG co-chaired by Secretary of State, Attorney General, Secretary of Homeland Security, and DNI shall direct existing interagency Threat Mitigation Working Group
Quarterly public reports on convictions relating to transnational criminal organizations
Within 120 days: submit report to President on extent of TCO penetration into U.S.
Annual reports thereafter on progress and recommended actions
Assess and potentially redirect monetary and personnel resources toward TCO efforts
Review Federal laws including Immigration and Nationality Act for enforcement improvements

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

Establishment of TMWG co-chair roles and directive to coordinate federal agency efforts
Quarterly reporting obligation on convictions begins

Near term (90d)

120-day report to President due on transnational criminal organization penetration in the U.S.

Long term

Annual reports on progress and recommended actions for dismantling organizations
Ongoing interagency coordination and international cooperation efforts
Potential statutory and resource reallocation reviews

Risks & tensions

Privacy Act compliance required for quarterly public reports—tension between transparency and individual privacy
Resource reallocation (Sec. 3(d)) could create interagency competition without guaranteed appropriation increases
Vague discretionary language ('to the extent deemed useful by the Co-Chairs') in subsections (h) and (i) may limit coordination with state/local and public-health partners
Immigration enforcement emphasis risks conflation of enforcement with broader immigration populations
Dependent on 'availability of appropriations'—funding not guaranteed