President Donald Trump on October 23, 2025, announced that the Homeland Security Task Force had made approximately 3,000 arrests targeting transnational criminal organizations in recent weeks.
Speaking at a White House roundtable with law enforcement and administration officials, Trump said the operations represent the largest coordinated effort against cartels in U.S. history.
Attorney General Pam Bondi reported that 91 tons of drugs were seized during the operations, including:
The operations also resulted in the seizure of more than 1,000 illegal firearms and $3 million in currency.
Arrests targeted members of several criminal organizations, including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Sinaloa Cartel, LNFM Cartel, MS-13, and Tren de Aragua.
Task Force Structure
The Homeland Security Task Force was established January 20 through Executive Order 14159. The task forces are co-led by the FBI and ICE, with participation from the Department of Justice, Department of War, Department of Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals, and state and local law enforcement agencies.
The task forces operate across 59 locations in all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam.
Thursday’s roundtable included DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Additional Operations
The administration has also conducted nine maritime strikes on suspected drug cartel vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific since September. Secretary Hegseth stated these strikes are part of the broader effort to disrupt cartel operations.
The administration reported more than 120,000 total criminal arrests since January 20.