32 USC 112 was originally approved in 1989 to provide the National Guard with legal authority (as a Homeland Defense mission) to support civilian law enforcement agencies in their (Homeland Security mission) to curtail illicit drug trafficking into the United States. The primary homeland security threat during that time-frame was from Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) and that terminology was used in defining the National Guard Counter Drug program. Although drug trafficking remains a primary means to fund criminal organizations, their illicit activities that threaten our security has expanded to include, human trafficking/kidnapping, southbound weapons/ammunition trafficking, southbound currency smuggling and other criminal activities. USNORTHCOM has already increased their area of concern to to include the above criminal activities and now focuses more broadly on Countering Transnational Organized Crime (C-TOC). The National Guard, based in every community and state, serving in Title 32 status, should have the expanded authority to assist USNORTHCOM and our LEA partners in the expanded threat posed by TCOs.


TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATION: CONCUR


NGB RECOMMENDATION: No Comment