HSI’s Pivotal Role in Joint Terrorism Task Forces

HSI’s Pivotal Role in Joint Terrorism Task Forces

The Joint Terrorism Task Forces, or JTTFs, are super important groups that protect America from terrorism, both the domestic and international kinds. They are made up of really well-trained, local investigators, analysts, linguists, and other specialists from a bunch of different U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

When it comes to looking into terrorism, the JTTFs do it all: follow leads, get evidence, arrest people, provide security for special events, share intelligence, and react right away to threats and incidents. They work together mostly through the National Joint Terrorism Task Force, which operates out of FBI Headquarters. This helps make sure that information and intelligence is shared freely among the local JTTFs.

The first JTTF was started in New York City in 1980. Now there are about 200 task forces around the country, with at least one in each of the FBI’s 56 field offices. This means there is broad coverage to combat terrorism across the United States [4].

HSI’s Role

An important player in the JTTFs is Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a directorate within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). HSI special agents use their unique investigative and enforcement powers related to immigration and cross-border trade to detect, disrupt, and dismantle terrorist activities [3].

Some key ways HSI contributes to the JTTFs include:

• Bringing specific legal expertise around immigration and customs laws
• Accessing data and sources related to international travel, trade, financial flows
• Operating internationally to support investigations
• Providing forensic support through computer forensics labs

This allows HSI to complement the counterterrorism capabilities of agencies like the FBI. HSI is considered a core contributor to the JTTF mission given its specialized skillset.

In fact, HSI claims that its employees represent the second largest group of federal agents assigned to Joint Terrorism Task Forces, behind only the FBI itself [6]. This highlights the large role HSI plays in domestic counterterrorism efforts through the JTTFs.

Key Investigative Activities

HSI uses its authorities to advance JTTF investigations in many ways. For example, HSI agents:

• Screen visa applicants who could pose a threat
• Disrupt financial support networks funneling money to terrorists
• Stop unauthorized exports of sensitive technology and weapons
• Track the movement of people and goods in and out of the country
• Seize illicit funds that may be tied to terrorist groups

HSI also runs various data systems that identify connections between suspects and provide leads. This includes monitoring social media for indicators of extremist activity or tracking relationships between known and suspected terrorists.

By leveraging its immigration and trade expertise, HSI delivers important contributions to terrorism investigations led out of the JTTFs.

Major Operations

Some significant counterterrorism operations that HSI has contributed to through JTTF partnerships include:

• Disrupting the flow of foreign fighters and resources to ISIS
• Uncovering Hezbollah’s criminal support network in America
• Exposing Iranian efforts to illegally obtain sensitive U.S. technology
• Shutting down al-Shabaab funding sources in the U.S.

These complex investigations demonstrate how HSI works jointly with other agencies to counter diverse terrorist threats facing the homeland.

Benefits of Collaboration

The JTTF model offers many benefits that amplify HSI’s counterterrorism impact:

• Access to FBI resources and intelligence
• Partnerships across federal, state, and local levels
• Joint training and information sharing
• Surge capacity to respond rapidly to threats
• Coordination of multi-agency operations

Working through JTTFs allows HSI to tap into specialized capabilities outside of its own agency. This facilitates a unified approach to dismantling terrorist networks.

Future Outlook

While HSI already plays a major role, there are still opportunities to enhance its JTTF coordination. Recent oversight reports have recommended actions such as:

• Updating guidance for HSI operations within JTTFs [1]
• Formalizing partnerships through written agreements
• Improving data sharing between HSI and the FBI

Implementing these recommendations could strengthen HSI’s framework for contributing to the JTTF mission moving forward.

Overall, HSI’s specialized capabilities have made it an essential partner within the multi-agency Joint Terrorism Task Forces. HSI provides critical immigration and trade expertise that complements the counterterrorism tools of other agencies. Through its pivotal role in the JTTFs, HSI helps keep America safe from terrorist threats.

References

[1] Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General. HSI Effectively Contributes to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, But Partnering Agreements Could Be Improved. Aug 2020.
[2] Department of Justice Office of Inspector General. The Department of Justice’s Terrorism Task Forces. June 2005.
[3] U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Joint Terrorism Task Force. Accessed Jan 2021.
[4] Federal Bureau of Investigation. Joint Terrorism Task Forces. Accessed June 2016.
[5] U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Protecting National Security. Accessed Jan 2023.
[6] Congressional Research Service. Homeland Security Investigations, a Directorate within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: In Brief. Nov 2015.