I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 488 
To require the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State 
to implement a strategy to combat the efforts of transnational criminal 
organizations to recruit individuals in the United States via social media 
platforms and other online services and assess their use of such platforms 
and services for illicit activities. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 16, 2025 
Mr. CISCOMANI (for himself and Ms. HOULAHAN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition 
to the Committees on Homeland Security, Foreign Affairs, and Energy 
and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speak-
er, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the ju-
risdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Homeland Security and the 
Secretary of State to implement a strategy to combat 
the efforts of transnational criminal organizations to re-
cruit individuals in the United States via social media 
platforms and other online services and assess their use 
of such platforms and services for illicit activities. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Combating Cartels on 
Social Media Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs, the Committee on 
the Judiciary, and the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate; and 
(B) the Committee on Homeland Security, 
the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
(2) COVERED OPERATOR.—The term ‘‘covered 
operator’’ means the operator, developer, or pub-
lisher of a covered service. 
(3) COVERED
SERVICE.—The term ‘‘covered 
service’’ means— 
(A) a social media platform; 
(B) a mobile or desktop service with direct 
or group messaging capabilities, but not includ-
ing text messaging services without other sub-
stantial social functionalities or electronic mail 
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services, that the Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity determines is being or has been used by 
transnational criminal organizations in connec-
tion with matters described in section 3; or 
(C) a digital platform, or an electronic ap-
plication utilizing the digital platform, involving 
real-time interactive communication between 
multiple 
individuals, 
including 
multi-player 
gaming services and immersive technology plat-
forms or applications, that the Secretary of 
Homeland Security determines is being or has 
been used by transnational criminal organiza-
tions in connection with matters described in 
section 3. 
(4) CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE.—The term ‘‘crimi-
nal enterprise’’ has the meaning given the term 
‘‘continuing criminal enterprise’’ in section 408 of 
the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 848). 
(5) ILLICIT ACTIVITIES.—The term ‘‘illicit ac-
tivities’’ means the following criminal activities that 
transcend national borders: 
(A) A violation of section 401 of the Con-
trolled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 841). 
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(B) Narcotics trafficking, as defined in 
section 808 of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin 
Designation Act (21 U.S.C. 1907). 
(C) Weapons trafficking. 
(D) Migrant smuggling, defined as a viola-
tion of section 274(a)(1)(A)(ii) of the Immigra-
tion 
and 
Nationality 
Act 
(8 
U.S.C. 
1324(a)(1)(A)(ii)). 
(E) Human trafficking, defined as— 
(i) a violation of section 1590, 1591, 
or 1592 of title 18, United States Code; or 
(ii) engaging in severe forms of traf-
ficking in persons, as defined in section 
103 of the Victims of Trafficking and Vio-
lence Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 
7102). 
(F) Cyber crime, defined as a violation of 
section 1030 of title 18, United States Code. 
(G) A violation of any provision that is 
subject to intellectual property enforcement, as 
defined in section 302 of the Prioritizing Re-
sources and Organization for Intellectual Prop-
erty Act of 2008 (15 U.S.C. 8112). 
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(H) Bulk cash smuggling of currency, de-
fined as a violation of section 5332 of title 31, 
United States Code. 
(I) Laundering the proceeds of the crimi-
nal activities described in subparagraphs (A) 
through (H). 
(6) 
TRANSNATIONAL
CRIMINAL
ORGANIZA-
TION.—The term ‘‘transnational criminal organiza-
tion’’ means a group, or network, and associated in-
dividuals, that operate transnationally for the pur-
poses of obtaining power, influence, or monetary or 
commercial gain, wholly or in part by certain unlaw-
ful means, while advancing their activities through a 
pattern of crime, corruption, or violence, and while 
protecting their unlawful activities through a 
transnational organizational structure and the ex-
ploitation of public corruption or transnational logis-
tics, financial, or communication mechanisms. 
SEC. 3. ASSESSMENT OF ILLICIT USAGE. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the At-
torney General, and the Secretary of State shall submit 
to the appropriate congressional committees a joint assess-
ment describing— 
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(1) the use of covered services by transnational 
criminal organizations, or criminal enterprises acting 
on behalf of transnational criminal organizations, to 
engage in recruitment efforts, including the recruit-
ment of individuals located in the United States, to 
engage in or provide support with respect to illicit 
activities occurring in the United States, Mexico, or 
otherwise in proximity to an international border of 
the United States; 
(2) the use of covered services by transnational 
criminal organizations, or criminal enterprises acting 
on behalf of transnational criminal organizations, to 
engage in illicit activities or conduct in support of il-
licit activities, including— 
(A) smuggling or trafficking involving nar-
cotics, other controlled substances, precursors 
thereof, or other items prohibited under the 
laws of the United States, Mexico, or another 
relevant jurisdiction, including firearms; 
(B) human smuggling or trafficking, with 
a particular focus on the exploitation of chil-
dren; and 
(C) transportation of bulk currency or 
monetary instruments in furtherance of smug-
gling or trafficking; and 
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(3) the existing efforts of the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, the Attorney General, the Sec-
retary of State, and relevant government and law 
enforcement entities to counter, monitor, or other-
wise respond to the usage of covered services de-
scribed in paragraphs (1) and (2). 
SEC. 4. STRATEGY TO COMBAT CARTEL RECRUITMENT ON 
SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE PLATFORMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland 
Security, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of State 
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 
a joint strategy, to be known as the ‘‘National Strategy 
to Combat Illicit Recruitment Activity by Transnational 
Criminal Organizations on Social Media and Online Plat-
forms’’, to combat the use of covered services by 
transnational criminal organizations, or criminal enter-
prises acting on behalf of transnational criminal organiza-
tions, to recruit individuals located in the United States 
to engage in or provide support for illicit activities occur-
ring in the United States, Mexico, or otherwise in prox-
imity to an international border of the United States. 
(b) ELEMENTS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The strategy required under 
subsection (a) shall, at a minimum, include the fol-
lowing: 
(A) A proposal to improve cooperation be-
tween the Secretary of Homeland Security, the 
Attorney General, the Secretary of State, and 
relevant government and law enforcement enti-
ties. 
(B) Recommendations to implement a 
process for the voluntary reporting of informa-
tion regarding the recruitment efforts of 
transnational criminal organizations, or crimi-
nal enterprises acting on behalf of transnational 
criminal organizations, in the United States in-
volving covered services. 
(C) 
A 
proposal 
to 
improve 
intragovernmental coordination with respect to 
the matters described in subsection (a), includ-
ing between the Department of Homeland Secu-
rity, the Department of Justice, the Depart-
ment of State, and State, Tribal, and local gov-
ernments. 
(D) A proposal to improve coordination 
within the Department of Homeland Security, 
the Department of Justice, and the Department 
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of State and between the components of those 
Departments with respect to the matters de-
scribed in subsection (a). 
(E) Activities to facilitate increased intel-
ligence analysis for law enforcement purposes of 
efforts of transnational criminal organizations, 
or criminal enterprises acting on behalf of 
transnational criminal organizations, to utilize 
covered services for recruitment to engage in or 
provide support with respect to illicit activities. 
(F) Activities to foster international part-
nerships and enhance collaboration with foreign 
governments and, as applicable, multilateral in-
stitutions, with respect to the matters described 
in subsection (a). 
(G) Activities to specifically increase en-
gagement and outreach with youth in border 
communities, including regarding the recruit-
ment tactics of transnational criminal organiza-
tions, or criminal enterprises acting on behalf of 
transnational criminal organizations, and the 
consequences of participation in illicit activities. 
(H) A detailed description of the measures 
used to ensure— 
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(i) law enforcement and intelligence 
activities focus on the recruitment activi-
ties of transnational criminal organiza-
tions, or criminal enterprises acting on be-
half of transnational criminal organiza-
tions, 
rather 
than 
individuals 
the 
transnational criminal organizations or en-
terprises, as the case may be, attempt to 
or successfully recruit; and 
(ii) the protection of privacy rights, 
civil rights, and civil liberties in carrying 
out the activities described in clause (i), 
with a particular focus on the protections 
in place to protect minors and constitu-
tionally protected activities. 
(2) LIMITATION.—The strategy required under 
subsection (a) shall not include legislative rec-
ommendations or elements predicated on the passage 
of legislation that is not enacted as of the date on 
which the strategy is submitted under subsection 
(a). 
(c) CONSULTATION.—In drafting and implementing 
the strategy required under subsection (a), the Secretary 
of Homeland Security, the Attorney General, and the Sec-
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(C) the Assistant Attorney General for the 
Civil Rights Division; 
(D) the Chief Privacy and Civil Liberties 
Officer; 
(E) the Director of the Organized Crime 
Drug Enforcement Task Forces; 
(F) the Director of the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation; and 
(G) the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, 
Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; 
(3) the heads of relevant components of the De-
partment of State, including— 
(A) the Assistant Secretary for Inter-
national Narcotics and Law Enforcement Af-
fairs; 
(B) the Assistant Secretary for Western 
Hemisphere Affairs; and 
(C) the Coordinator of the Global Engage-
ment Center; 
(4) the Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices; 
(5) the Secretary of Education; and 
(6) as selected by the Secretary of Homeland 
Security, or his or her designee in the Office of Pub-
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lic Engagement, representatives of border commu-
nities, including representatives of— 
(A) State, Tribal, and local governments, 
including school districts and local law enforce-
ment; and 
(B) nongovernmental experts in the fields 
of— 
(i) civil rights and civil liberties; 
(ii) online privacy; 
(iii) humanitarian assistance for mi-
grants; and 
(iv) youth outreach and rehabilitation. 
(d) IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date on which the strategy required under sub-
section (a) is submitted to the appropriate congres-
sional committees, the Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of 
State shall commence implementation of the strat-
egy. 
(2) REPORT.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 
days after the date on which the strategy re-
quired under subsection (a) is implemented 
under paragraph (1), and semiannually there-
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after for 5 years, the Secretary of Homeland 
Security, the Attorney General, and the Sec-
retary of State shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a joint report describ-
ing the efforts of the Secretary of Homeland 
Security, the Attorney General, and the Sec-
retary of State, respectively, to implement the 
strategy required under subsection (a) and the 
progress of those efforts, which shall include a 
description of— 
(i) the recommendations, and cor-
responding implementation of those rec-
ommendations, with respect to the matters 
described in subsection (b)(1)(B); 
(ii) the interagency posture with re-
spect to the matters covered by the strat-
egy required under subsection (a), which 
shall include a description of collaboration 
between the Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity, the Attorney General, the Secretary of 
State, other Federal entities, State, local, 
and Tribal entities, foreign governments 
and, as applicable, multilateral institu-
tions,; and 
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(iii) the threat landscape, including 
new developments related to the recruit-
ment efforts of transnational criminal or-
ganizations, or criminal enterprises acting 
on behalf of transnational criminal organi-
zations, and the use by such organizations 
or enterprises, as the case may be, of new 
or emergent covered services and recruit-
ment methods. 
(B) FORM.—Each report required under 
subparagraph (A) shall be submitted in unclas-
sified form, but may contain a classified annex. 
(3) CIVIL RIGHTS, CIVIL LIBERTIES, AND PRI-
VACY ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date on which the strategy required under sub-
section (a) is implemented under paragraph (1), the 
Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the 
Privacy Office of the Department of Homeland Se-
curity, in consultation with the Assistant Attorney 
General for the Civil Rights Division and the Chief 
Privacy and Civil Liberties Officer of the Depart-
ment of Justice, shall submit to the appropriate con-
gressional committees a joint report that includes— 
(A) a detailed assessment of the measures 
used to ensure the protection of civil rights, 
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civil liberties, and privacy rights in carrying out 
this section; and 
(B) recommendations to improve the im-
plementation of the strategy required under 
subsection (a). 
(4) RULEMAKING.—Prior to implementation of 
the strategy required under subsection (a) at the 
Department of Homeland Security, the Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall issue rules to carry out this 
section in accordance with section 553 of title 5, 
United States Code. 
SEC. 5. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
Nothing in this Act may be construed to expand the 
statutory law enforcement or regulatory authority of the 
Department of Homeland Security, the Department of 
Justice, or the Department of State. 
SEC. 6. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS. 
No additional funds are authorized to be appro-
priated for the purpose of carrying out this Act. 
Æ 
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