Counternarcotics Enhancement Act
The Counternarcotics Enhancement Act would require the U.S. intelligence community (IC) to formalize and expand its collaboration with the Government of Mexico on counternarcotics. Within 60 days of enactment, each IC element must report to the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) describing any direct relationships with Mexican government entities, assessing counterintelligence risks in those relationships, outlining a strategy to enhance counternarcotics cooperation with those Mexican entities, and detailing the resources needed to implement that strategy. Then, within 180 days, the DNI must compile all those submissions into an action plan for Congress to improve counternarcotics collaboration and cooperation with Mexico, and to specify any changes in authorities or resources needed to implement the plan in fiscal year 2026. The DNI’s action plan must be unclassified (though it may include a classified annex), while the IC element submissions to DNI must be provided to congressional intelligence committees in the same form they were submitted to the DNI.
Key Points
- 1Mandatory IC reporting: Each IC element must report to the DNI about any direct relationships with Mexican government entities, including an assessment of counterintelligence risks and a strategy to improve counternarcotics cooperation where such relationships exist.
- 2Resource and implementation planning: Each IC element must specify the resources required and provide a plan to implement its counternarcotics strategy with Mexico.
- 3DNI-led national plan to Congress: The DNI must, within 180 days, submit an action plan to congressional intelligence committees describing how to enhance counternarcotics collaboration with Mexico and detailing any needed changes in authorities or resources for FY2026.
- 4Transparency with Congress: Submissions to Congress must be provided in the same form as submitted to the DNI; the action plan must be unclassified but may include a classified annex.
- 5Narrow scope on cooperation: The plan centers on counternarcotics collaboration, coordination, and cooperation with the Government of Mexico, rather than broader U.S.–Mexico security operations.