Ciscomani Introduces Bill to Combat Cartel Recruitment through Social Media

January 17, 2025

‘To create a national strategy to crack down on cartel recruitment through social media’

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), who represents a district on the U.S. - Mexico border, and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) introduced legislation to crack down on drug cartels and other transnational criminal organizations that use social media to recruit teenagers to traffic drugs across the border and into the United States. 

Drug cartels and human smuggling organizations have been using social media applications to recruit Americans, including teenagers, to smuggle illicit contraband across the U.S. - Mexico Border. The Combating Cartels on Social Media Act (H.R. 488) cracks down on illicit cartel recruitment activity by:

Requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop and implement a national strategy to combat illicit recruitment of American citizens through social media. 
Establish a process for social media companies to report recruitment posts, allowing law enforcement to more accurately track and disrupt recruitment efforts.

“As Representative of a border district, I have seen firsthand the devastating effects drug cartels have on our communities,” said Congressman Ciscomani. “In Pima County, fentanyl overdoses are the number one cause of death for teenagers. Tragically, the same cartels that traffic this poison into our communities are using social media to recruit American citizens, including teenagers, to smuggle drugs and other contraband into the United States. This must stop, which is why I am proud to lead this critical legislation to create a national strategy to crack down on cartel recruitment through social media and protect our communities.”

"During my visits to the southern border and Latin America, and in my ongoing conversations with our country's law enforcement and national security leaders, I've learned in great detail how the tactics of cartels and criminal gangs have evolved,” said Congresswoman Houlahan. "They use the internet and social media to recruit new members and coordinate narcotics smuggling across our borders, and they must be stopped. It is time our laws evolve to meet this sophisticated digital threat. I am proud to work alongside this bipartisan group of leaders to introduce this legislation to target the cartels' online activities."

Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and James Lankford (R-OK) are leading a companion bill in the Senate. 

“Drug cartels are a constant threat to Arizona communities, and they are using social media to put teens and young adults in harm’s way,” said Senator Kelly. “With this bill, we’re addressing the problem head-on by helping law enforcement more easily target illicit cartel activity on social media and crack down on smuggling efforts. Keeping Arizonans safe from cartels is my top priority and this legislation will help achieve that.” 

“Social media companies list in their ‘terms of service’ that the platform cannot be used for illegal activities, but at the same time they allow human smugglers to advertise, promote how to illegally enter the US, and demonstrate how to avoid the US Border Patrol when crossing the border,” said Senator Lankford. “The largest social media companies pick and choose which illegal activities they like and which they do not like, and clearly, they like people illegally crossing the US border. Social media companies need to be held accountable for turning their heads to human trafficking at the cost of human lives.”

This legislation is supported by Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels, the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association, the Western States Sheriffs’ Association, and the National Sheriffs’ Association.

“Cartel recruitment on social media has real consequences in Arizona. I see it in my county when our officers engage in high-speed pursuits and apprehend young Americans for helping smuggle migrants, all because a cartel promised them money on Facebook or TikTok. This legislation is the response we have been asking for from congressional leaders that will help protect my community,” said Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels.

“It is urgent to crack down on the online recruitment by cartel members that is hurting Arizona families not only along the Southern border but across the entire state. This bill is a welcome action that will strengthen the work of law enforcement officials in my county and help protect public safety,” said Arizona Sheriffs’ Association President and Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes.

“These issues are important to our membership and continue to impact our ability as Sheriffs to effectively carry out our duties. Social media is a driving force for transcontinental criminal organizations and cartels in the recruitment of individuals to assist these criminal organizations in furthering the crimes of drug trafficking as well as human trafficking and sex trafficking. Further, social media platforms have been less than cooperative with law enforcements efforts to investigate these criminal activities effectively and successfully. The Western States Sheriffs’ Association represents over 1,200 Sheriffs across the western United States, and we are in full support of this bill. We believe it will combat the Cartels efforts to propagate these illegal activities which are having devastating negative impacts in many of the communities across the United States,” said Western States Sheriffs’ Association President and Gilliam County Sheriff Gary Bettencourt.

“Drug cartels pose a grave and growing threat to public safety, using social media and other electronic platforms to traffic fentanyl and other illicit drugs into our communities. These criminal organizations exploit technology to expand their operations, recruit vulnerable individuals, and evade law enforcement, contributing to the devastating impact of drug addiction and overdose deaths nationwide,” said National Sheriffs’ Association President Sheriff Kieran Donahue. “We commend this bill for requiring the establishment of a Platform Safety Advisory Committee and the development of a National Strategy to Combat Illicit Recruitment Activity by Transnational Criminal Organizations on Social Media and Online Platforms. By engaging multiple stakeholders—federal, state, and local law enforcement, private service providers, and experts—this approach ensures a coordinated and comprehensive response to these critical threats.”

Bill text can be found here. 

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