ODNI Says 10,000 Narcoterrorism Suspects Barred From U.S. in 2025
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard says intelligence from the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) helped prevent more than 10,000 people with cartel- or gang-linked narcoterrorism ties from entering the United States in 2025 and led to more than 85,000 new identities being added to the terrorist database that feeds the FBI’s Terror Watchlist. According to a senior counterterrorism official, President Donald Trump’s move to designate cartels as terrorist organizations allowed the intelligence community to use counterterrorism authorities and share data with DHS, the FBI and state and local agencies, resulting in visa revocations, arrests, deportations and other actions that "denied access" to those individuals. The official claims similar suspects were able to move "with impunity" under the prior administration, and argues that, had such capabilities existed before 9/11, the hijackers might have been blocked from entering the country. The article does not provide independent documentation for the 10,000 and 85,000 figures, and civil-liberties groups have long warned that watchlists and broad "terror" designations can sweep in people on thin intelligence, but the disclosure offers a rare, if one-sided, numerical look at how the Trump administration is weaponizing terrorism tools against Latin American cartels and gangs.
📌 Key Facts
- ODNI and NCTC say intelligence they produced led to more than 10,000 narcoterrorism-linked cartel or gang members being denied access to the United States in 2025.
- Officials say NCTC added more than 85,000 new identities to the terrorist database in 2025, which informs the FBI Terror Watchlist shared with law enforcement nationwide.
- A senior counterterrorism official credits Trump’s designation of cartels as terrorist organizations for letting intelligence agencies "leverage the tools of the intelligence community" against them, and says denied access included visa revocations, arrests, deportations and investigations.
📊 Relevant Data
Venezuelan immigrants in the United States increased from about 545,000 in 2019 to 1.2 million in 2024, a 119% rise, with many citing economic hardship, political instability, and violence as reasons for migration.
7 facts about Venezuelans in the US — Pew Research Center
Approximately 75% of Venezuelan immigrants ages 16 and older were in the civilian labor force in 2023, compared to 67% of all immigrants and 66% of the native-born population.
Venezuelan Immigrants in the United States — Migration Policy Institute
In 2022, a UN survey found that 90% of Mexican migrants left due to violence, extortion, or organized crime, with Mexico experiencing high levels of cartel-related violence including over 30,000 homicides annually in recent years.
Why Six Countries Account for Most Migrants at the U.S.-Mexico Border — Council on Foreign Relations
Mexican cartels, including Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation, produce and traffic multi-ton quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine annually, with U.S. seizures in 2024 including 23,256 kg of fentanyl and 133,392 kg of methamphetamine at the Southwest Border.
2025 National Drug Threat Assessment — Drug Enforcement Administration
Cartels like Tren de Aragua from Venezuela facilitate the smuggling of thousands of Venezuelan migrants into the U.S., extorting them for prostitution or crimes, diversifying revenue alongside drug trafficking.
2025 National Drug Threat Assessment — Drug Enforcement Administration
📰 Source Timeline (1)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time