Federal authorities have launched a new Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) designed at dismantling criminal cartels, foreign gangs and transnational criminal organizations operating in Kansas, Missouri and the greater Midwest.
Announced Thursday, June 12, 2025 by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, the new Kansas City-based regional HSTF will bring together federal agents, intelligence analysts and law enforcement partners under one umbrella to fight organized crime in America’s heartland.
The task force will focus on a range of federal crimes, including drug trafficking, money laundering, weapons and human trafficking, alien smuggling, extortion, kidnapping, and other violations tied to transnational organized crime. The HSTF will also work closely with state and local authorities to identify violent criminal groups and individuals.
The Kansas City regional HSTF will serve Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska, with dedicated locations in Kansas City, Wichita, Des Moines and Omaha. Each site will combine federal law enforcement resources and personnel, with the task force jointly led by the special agents in charge of FBI and HSI in the region.
Partner agencies include the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Kansas, Missouri (Eastern and Western), Iowa (Northern and Southern), and Nebraska.
The initiative follows Executive Order 14159, issued by President Donald J. Trump, which calls for the establishment of HSTFs nationwide to target transnational criminal networks and enforce U.S. immigration laws. The directive places a specific emphasis on disrupting human trafficking operations, particularly those involving children.
Officials say the new task force model will act as a unified front in protecting communities from criminal organizations increasingly embedded in local areas.
You can read the full article at KOAM.