Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025
The Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025 would add a new Transnational Repression Working Group within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to analyze and monitor threats tied to transnational repression and related terrorism. The Working Group would be led by a Director (selected by the head of Homeland Security Investigations) and would coordinate with DHS’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI, and other partners. Key duties include reviewing information from federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners (including fusion centers), conducting annual (and seven annual) assessments of transnational repression incidents, and sharing relevant information with partners. The bill also authorizes detailees from the intelligence community or other federal agencies, requires privacy and civil liberties protections, and requires public posting of unclassified portions of the assessments. It includes a research and development component to improve tech and methods for countering these threats and sunsets the Working Group after seven years unless renewed.
Key Points
- 1Establishment and structure: Creates the Transnational Repression Working Group within DHS, with a Director who reports to the Secretary and the Director of Homeland Security Investigations; allows dedicated staff and detailees from other agencies; mandates privacy compliance.
- 2Information sharing and coordination: Requires coordination with the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, integration of information from federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners and the National Network of Fusion Centers, and dissemination of relevant threat information to partners.
- 3Annual homeland security assessments: Mandates annual (for seven years) assessments of transnational repression incidents, with data on incidents, suspects (including citizenship/nationality), country involvement, and efforts to disrupt such threats; allows a classified annex and publicly posts the unclassified portion.
- 4Sunset and reporting duty: The Working Group would terminate seven years after enactment unless extended; assessments are submitted to the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 5Privacy and civil liberties protections: Activities must comply with constitutional, privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties protections; measures must not infringe free speech rights.
- 6Definitions: Clarifies terms including “transnational repression,” “agent of a foreign government,” “foreign government,” “fusion center,” and “United States person” to guide the Group’s work.